Any other pregnant NHS staff?

[user1487970561]

I’m currently about 11 weeks pregnant, work for NHS in a clinical role (hospital based). Last year all pregnant staff stopped working at 28 weeks due to covid, but does anyone know if that would still be the case now? Especially as I’m fully vaccinated and numbers in my part of the country are fairly low at the moment (obviously this can change at any time). I haven’t told my boss yet so can’t ask them for advice, but I imagine they are going to want me to stay as late as possible...

Hey lovely, i’m a frontline nhs nurse too and am 31 weeks, from 28 weeks my work was either office based or wfh. I couldnt bare the thought of wfh full time so we agreed on the above. Totally up to you im sure x

I’m a nurse practice educator. I finished this week and from 28 weeks I wasn’t allowed in the clinical areas. Just office based and WFH, luckily there was quite a lot I could do. I have had both vaccines.

Thanks, it’s useful to hear what others are doing! I’m not sure if they will ask me to keep working patient-facing but only in outpatient clinics, rather than on the wards etc (I usually do a mixture of both)? Or if it’ll be purely computer/home based. I think there’s special risk assessments to fill out if you’re working past 28 weeks but it’s all very vague and non-specific!

Hi, I'm in a community mental health team and 20 weeks today. I'm expecting to stay on as we are very short staffed. However two of my colleagues worked from home after 28 weeks earlier in the pandemic. I have asked but I don't think anyone is sure. It's a worry as if I get to 28 weeks and do have to go non patient facing I haven't been preparing my patients for that and there isn't really anyone to hand over to as we are a small team and I cover one area. I asked our infection control team but was just told to keep an eye on the guidance...

I’m currently 18 weeks pregnant, respiratory staff nurse on a high risk Covid ward. Been told by OH that staff, myself included, are to carry on as normal as numbers are now lower. I do avoid “high risk” bays of patients with CPAP and NIV etc and where possible I only nurse the negative patients but sometimes this isn’t always possible. I was offered to work on a lower risk ward but I felt more comfortable staying where I am as I know my colleagues will look after me in terms of patient load etc

You can't work face to face clinically from 28 weeks but obviously you could be redeployed to a non face to face role or work from home if that is possible. Lots of rumours the guidance is going to change soon though to enable clinicians to stay working face to face with appropriate risk assessments in place. Unless everything goes completely tits up I'd have thought it will have changed by the time you get to that point.

I'm working from home from next week due to hitting 28 weeks and am frankly dreading it! Hey ho. Might have a few advantages in a few more months when I'm feeling too big to move!

I'm over 28 weeks now - my trust changed the guidance just before I was 28 weeks and reversed the decision that everyone should WFH once over 28 weeks.
I am not allowed near confirmed positive or suspected covid patients but other than that am working as normal. Have not had vaccine as wasn't allowed initially and now I'm just going to wait it out. Luckily my Trust has very very low numbers of positive patients so I feel happy with all of this. If the cases begin to increase I will challenge it with OH.

I’m a nurse on an emergency surgery ward. Currently 27+4 and my trusts policy is still that over 28 weeks you have to be non patient facing. The government guidance has not changed and still says at present that all employees (in healthcare or otherwise) over 28 weeks a more cautionary approach is necessary. So unless the trust can say that they have taken significant steps to reduce the risk of potential covid exposure, and ensured that you can complete your role while being fully compliant with social distancing (impossible when providing care) then they should seek alternative arrangements rather then patient facing duties.
This could all change though so I am prepared to go back to patient facing if the guidance changes. However I will point out that just coz the numbers are low now it doesn’t mean they will stay low. On the last wave my trust went from having 0 positive inpatients to just over 100 in less then two weeks. And it spiralled from there. Even with vaccinations this could happen again. We just don’t know so those trusts saying numbers are lower now so it’s not as risky are being very irresponsible and not learning from previous experiences.

Also yes OP there are pregnancy risks assessment and COVID risks assessments which need to be completed to keep you safe at work.

This is the most recent government guidelines which all employers should be following, last updated March 2021 www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-pregnant-employees/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-pregnant-employees

This is from the RCOG for advise specifically for healthcare workers www.pat.nhs.uk/Coronavirus/HR/RCOG%20guidance%20for%20pregnant%20healthcare%20workers.pdf

Hope this helps, the guidance could all change though. We just don’t know so have to try be open minded and flexible x

Ok quite a mix of responses! I guess I’ll just need to wait and see as a lot could change in the next 17 weeks. It would just be nice to have a rough idea, hate not knowing!

@FirstTimeMummy2021 that is pretty strange - the guidance is national so as far as I understand your trust should be following it?

I'm an A&E nurse, in November every pregnant lady of any gestation had to WFH, then they could go back but only work patient facing until 28 weeks, and now they have scrapped that and all pregnant women have to work right up until mat leave x