Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to update guidance for workplaces to ensure that health risks for nurses who shielded during the covid-19 lockdown are minimised.

NHS Employers have produced guidance for National Health Service organisations to support all staff returning to work after shielding during the COVID-19 lockdown which is available at the following link:

https://www.nhsemployers.org/covid19/staff-terms-and-conditions/staff-terms-and-conditions-faqs/pay#Shielding

The Government expects employers to undertake an individual risk assessment to support those staff who have been shielding to determine whether it is appropriate to return to work and to understand what measures could be introduced to ensure the safety of employees, with the relevant adjustments being made to minimise health risks.

When local lockdowns or restrictions are put in place employers are expected to revise their plans for supporting people to return to the workplace based on the latest Government and local authority advice.