Going to work with a positive lateral flow

[Octoblockisadick]

Not sure if this is better in workplace but thought would put it in coronavirus due to the subject matter. All names are made up of course.
On Christmas eve I was in work in the hospital. Around lunchtime I was in an office when a mid level manager (john) came in to speak to one of my senior colleagues who was also in the office (sarah). I offered to leave so they could talk in private but they said it was OK.

John said that one of his members of staff within the department had tested covid positive on a lateral flow test this morning (lucy), however his senior(james) said Lucy had to attend work if they didn't feel unwell as it wasn't a pcr positive. Lucy apparently has a sore throat and cold symptoms.

Sarah said Lucy needed to go home, which John agreed with. However James said the member of staff had to stay for the rest of the day. As I was leaving after my shift ended I noticed Lucy still in the department working.

Is this allowed? I thought the law was that you had to isolate until you had a negative pcr?

I am irritated because I'm currently pregnant, and avoiding covid positive people where possible. I don't work in covid positive departments and I limit what I do outside of work and LF prior to meeting any friends or family.
There are also other members of staff working in the department who are pregnant and on no patient contact, and others who had to shield in the first lockdown due to medical conditions and immunosuppressants.

Ffs... what is wrong with people. James should not have forced her into work

Its likely to take put several more staff too

Of course they should be isolating. False negatives are pretty common with lft. But false positives are rare. with a positive lft they need to be isolating!

I can totally understand your irritation op. A lot of stupidity around.

Quite often it's workplaces not allowing staff time off with a positive pcr. Dp's work is a bit like that! Also another reason why we will be in this mess for a long time!

That is risky in a hospital. If in doubt they should contact occupational health - i’m sure there is a policy in a hospital.

@Namenic

That is risky in a hospital. If in doubt they should contact occupational health - i’m sure there is a policy in a hospital.

Oh the policy is definitely to stay at home. Policy is quite strict tbh, if you are a contact of a positive case you are supposed to get a pcr and isolate until its negative.

I'm going to speak to my manager about it (different manager as slightly different job role), as my risk assessment is that I shouldn't be in contact with confirmed covid cases. That is easily done on wards or in clinics as I can avoid the covid or admission areas and only go to confirmed negative areas. It isn't as straightforward when colleagues are coming in knowing they are positive and coming over talking to you.
James is just a bit of a dick and is known to be tbh. Very much "I'm in charge in this department so what I say goes" regardless of policy.

I would complain. This goes directly against policy and James either needs to read the rules properly or be reprimanded for knowingly breaching them.

@ChristmasMouseInHouse

I would complain. This goes directly against policy and James either needs to read the rules properly or be reprimanded for knowingly breaching them.

I'm going to, I'm just not sure of the appropriate channels as such. I'm definitely going to speak to my manager on my next shift, but the department has a history of brushing things away and nothing being done. I'm debating emailing infection prevention asking re the policy and mentioning the situation to see what they say, but would that be inappropriate? I feel like the only way there will be even a discussion with James would be to go outside of the department and into the general hospital teams.

In your situation when working in a hospital and presumably getting full sick pay of course she should be isolating, but it isn’t always so clear cut.
I knew of someone who tested positive but continued to work in retail. They were asymptomatic and would only get ssp of £96 a week (or whatever the current rate is) and just couldn’t afford to stay off work when not actually ill. Is it selfish? Yes. Do I judge them for making that choice? No not really. I blame Boris & co. if the gov actually forced companies to pay full sick pay for government enforced isolation, well it would certainly help curtail case numbers.

Not surprised by this story tbh.

I would email my line manager and cc in OH, preferably with a screenshot of the appropriate page in the policy and query the policy. I wouldn't email inf control at this point, Altho I would if there was still no change.

I'd be speaking to HR rather than a manager.

I work in a frontline role & we have nearly 1/3 of our workforce isolating after a positive PCR result. I firmly believe this is due to management panicking & telling vaccinated staff they need to attend work until their PCR result comes back.

One girl was vaccinated x2 positive LFT's negative PCR - got told she needed to come in (symptomatic too) low and behold she now has a positive PCR after coming to work for 2 days and mixing with 20+ staff & patients.

That's just one example.

It's scary and perplexing how we are about to 'sack' 6 of our unvaccinated workforce yet it's 'ok' to work with a vaccinated covid positive member of staff

Sorry I've totally gone off point to your post OP, you can tell it's all playing on my mind. I would be wary of going to HR. I ld go to your other manager and CC infection control x