Any domestics working on a covid ward?

[dazzlinghaze]

Hi all, I'm an NHS domestic and have just found out that when I come back from AL next week I'll be working on a COVID-19 ward. I am absolutely petrified.

Just wondered if anyone in the same/similar position wanted to chat/share experiences/ offer support?

We've been told we won't be tested as we aren't frontline staff, I can't get my head around that. I'll be cleaning the rooms of patients who have tested positive but am not frontline? It makes me feel disposable and like my life isn't viewed as important because of my job.

Sorry, nothing useful to say except thank you I appreciate you and what you are doing.

Can you get together with the other staff in your position and insist that you're all tested?

I think it's very unfair to say that you're not front-line staff because you are in the front line of exposure to infection surely?

@ItsAHardKn0ckLife1 thank you!

@UYScuti When I've spoken to some of my colleagues they haven't seemed particularly concerned about us not being tested. While I'm off I think I will phone my union and see what they have to say about it but I'm feeling quite hopeless tbh.

I think it is abhorrent to say you are not frontline staff!!! What a crock of shit. You are in a high risk area, travelling to and from a hospital. Not to mention working in the exact space where covid is present. That’s a disgrace.

I am a HCA on a Covid ward.
On our ward we have a mixture of 4 person bays and single rooms.
On our ward our domestics are not allowed to enter the rooms/bays. So it is us hca that are emptying bins ect...
You are most definatly front line staff!

I imagine this will depend on the testing capacity locally. Testing NHS staff and symptomatic household members is only to ensure staff are not self-isolating for symptoms of something which is not covid-19, so could be back at work. For example they may testing to manage those numbers, and those are the priority staff they need at work.

@nannytwins I've been told by domestics who have been here years that when there's been infectious outbreaks previously (Ebola etc) domestics didn't go anywhere near. Not sure why it's different this time.

@Dougt You're probably right there, we're easily replaced with agency staff.