Research and analysis

HPR volume 13 issue 37: news (18 and 21 October)

Updated 20 December 2019

New guidance on managing emergency workers’ exposure to BBVs

PHE has published new recommendations for frontline emergency service workers covering prevention and control of exposure to common blood-borne viruses (BBVs) such as hepatitis C and HIV [1].

The document includes:

  • recommended actions in the event of a potential exposure
  • care pathways for specific groups of emergency service workers
  • examples of how staff can be advised and supported
  • information on myths and stigmas around BBVs

The advice applies specifically to staff who are working in the police, fire, ambulance, prison and immigration services.

It is intended for use by frontline service providers at the national, regional and local level, to ensure that their staff are effectively supported and educated on the risks of exposure to BBVs.

Reference

  1. Guidance on management of potential exposure to blood-borne viruses in emergency workers: for occupational health service providers and frontline staff, GOV.UK (4 October 2019).

PHE Research and Science Conference 2020: call for abstracts

Abstracts are invited for potential oral or e-poster presentations at PHE’s next annual Research and Science Conference that will take place at the University of Manchester on 31 March and 1 April, 2020.

The conference aims to strengthen scientific activity related to health protection and health improvement and to facilitate the development of collaborations between PHE and academia, and of other research partnerships including the NIHR Health Protection Research Units and the NIHR School for Public Health Research.

The conference provides an opportunity for trainees and early career scientists to present their work with academic rigour; those who submit abstracts will be eligible for a prize for the best abstract and poster.

It includes plenary sessions and a broad programme of parallel and e-poster sessions. Abstracts can be submitted, until the 22 November 2019, through the conference website where registration details are available.

Main session themes are infectious diseases, environmental health and health improvement. Abstracts are also invited under the following thematic sub-categories: reducing health inequalities; health services and healthcare public health; global health; learning and development; programme implementation; patient, public and community involvement.

Infection reports in this issue