National guidance

Please be aware that this is a fast-evolving situation and clinical and public advice may change. Information here will be updated and changed as appropriate so please check for the latest version.

Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch

COVID-19 transmission in hospitals: a prospective safety investigation (03 November 2020)

HSIB have recently published a ‘COVID-19 transmission in hospitals: a prospective safety investigation’ report. This prospective patient safety investigation looks at how the healthcare system operates to minimise the likelihood of patients catching coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19) on acute hospital wards.     

GOV.UK

NHS England

  • Risk assessments for at-risk staff groups (28 June 2020)

    Please see the link for an NHSE letter to all NHS organisations in secondary and primary care on the need for completing risk assessments for at-risk members of staff. The letter says all employers need to make significant progress in deploying risk assessments within the next two weeks and complete them – at least for all staff in at-risk groups – within four weeks. NHSE feel it is important that staff know of this commitment so that they can ensure the correct action is being taken at local level.

  • NHS roadmap to safely bring back routine operations (16 May 2020)
    Health leaders have set out a series of measures to help local hospitals plan to increase routine operations and treatment, while keeping the necessary capacity and capability to treat future coronavirus patients. The guidance is available here.

  • Clinical guide for the management of surge during the coronavirus pandemic: rapid learning (12 April 2020)
    NHS England have produced a rapid learning document summarising the experiences and responses of intensive care units across the country that have undergone a COVID-19 surge. This document will provide a valuable resource for intensive care units and is regularly revised to ensure it is kept up-to-date.

  • Clinical guide for extra corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for respiratory failure in adults during the coronavirus pandemic (10 April 2020)
    Updated guidance on referral to ECMO services during the pandemic.

  • Specialty guides (7 April 2020)
    These guides are aimed at specialists working in hospitals in England during the pandemic.

  • Clinical guide to adult critical care during the coronavirus pandemic: staffing framework (3 April 2020)
    In order to match the increasing demands that the coronavirus pandemic will place on critical care, new and flexible models of care are required.

  • Coronavirus Act – excess death provisions: information and guidance for medical practitioners (31 March 2020)
    The Coronavirus Act of Parliament gained Royal Assent on 25 March 2020, and the commencement order for the clauses relating to death certification and cremation forms was signed on 26 March 2020. Guidance and information on these clauses are set out here.

MHRA

  • MHRA Alert: Central Alerting System: Neutralising Monoclonal Antibodies (Nmabs) Or Antivirals For Non-Hospitalised Patients With Covid-19. Full details here.

  • MHRA and NHS alert: Central Alerting System: Withdrawal Of The Recommendation For Consideration Of Inhaled Budesonide As A Treatment Option For Covid-19. Please click here for further information.

  • MHRA Alert: Covid-19 Therapeutic Alert: Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) In Patients Hospitalised Due To Covid-19 With Acute Respiratory Failure. Please click here

  • MHRA Alert: Casirivimab And Imdevimab For Patients Hospitalised Due To Covid-19. Full details can be found here

  • The MHRA have approved the Ronapreve COVID-19 vaccine developed by Regeneron/Roche.
    This is the first monoclonal antibody treatment for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 in the UK and the fifth COVID-19 vaccine to be approved by the MHRA. Please see the MHRA Press release and Decision page which includes ‘Summary of Product Characteristics’ and ‘Patient Information Leaflet’.

  • MHRA Alert: Updated Publication of Remdesivir guidance for patients hospitalised with Covid-19 (adults and children aged 12 years and older). Full details can be found here.

  • COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca and thromboembolic events with concurrent low platelets – revisions to product information. Full details can be found here.

  • Flosteril FLO-MED-8130 non-sterile gowns do not meet minimum standards for fluid resistance. Full details can be found here.

  • MHRA Alert: convalescent plasma in the management of hospitalised patients with COVID-19. Please click here for further information.

  • MHRA Coronavirus Yellow Card reporting site. Please click here for further information.

  • MHRA and NHS alert: Colchicine in the management of COVID-19. Please click here for further information.

The Cabinet Office

Public Health England

  • Public Health England Briefing Note – COVID-10 Exemption from contact isolation for fully vaccinated health & social care staff in exceptional circumstances (19 July 2021)

    Please download here

  • Updated information for clinicians/healthcare professionals on COVID-19 PCR testing (15 March 2021)

View the updated letter here.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)

  • COVID-19 rapid guideline: managing COVID-19 (Published: 23 March 2021 Updated: 4 October 2021) Please click here

  • Supporting implementation of NICE Critical Care Guidelines (NG159)
    This information has been developed by a group of national professional bodies to support implementation of NICE Guideline NG159 relating to COVID-19 and Critical Care.

Medical Schools information (18 March 2020)

Public information campaign

The Department of Health and Social Care has launched a public information campaign highlighting the importance of hand-washing and other measures to reduce the spread of Coronavirus.

The Protection of NHS Staff

Employers have a duty of care under the Control of Substances Hazardous Health 2002 (COSHH) to assess and reduce the risks from exposure to biological hazards. Under COSHH, employers need to identify who may be harmed by a biological agent and how they may be exposed.Latest guidance from Public Health England, Health Protection Scotland and the Health and Safety Executive will inform the COSHH assessment and what steps need to be taken including the identification of potential patients with COVID-19, isolation procedures and precautions such as negative pressure ventilation and the provision and safe use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). Staff may be anxious by what the read in the media and employers should ensure that all nursing staff are provided with factual information on COVID-19, the steps that their employer is taking to identify and manage suspected cases and what nursing staff can do to protect themselves, including reinforcing hand hygiene. Staff who may be required to deliver clinical care to affected patients, should have the necessary skills and experience and be provided with training and information on any additional infection prevention and control measures needed to work in such environments including the safe donning and removal of PPE. Hospital or Trust safety representatives should be kept informed of measures being taken to protect staff and there should be mechanisms in place that allow safety representatives to raise concerns with senior managers/health and safety/infection control leads on behalf of staff.Please see Public Health England guidance for health care providers for staff who have travelled to China or Italy.

For health protection advice, contact your local health protection team:

Patients who are concerned should be advised to contact NHS 111 or their GP.

UK information

Infection control advice

Advice for health and care services

Information for healthcare workers and the public

Specific travel information

Clinical feedback and questions

  • If you are an NHS clinician and you have comments or improvements to the UK Government's Coronavirus guidance for clinicians, please provide your feedback here

  • If you have any questions regarding your own hospital or Trust’s COVID-19 containment and treatment processes and procedures, the College advises you to work closely with your Clinical Director or Links.