The BMA has warned the current policy of asking NHS staff to self-isolate after a positive contact runs the risk of destabilising general practices and hospital departments.

As covid cases rise significantly in Scotland, doctors’ representatives have said the Scottish government must consider if a different approach is needed to stop a high number of staff members having to stay home if they are identified as a contact of a positive covid case.

Chair of BMA Scotland Lewis Morrison told healthandcare.scot: "As cases rise in this third wave of the pandemic the number of staff asked to self-isolate as contacts may lead to some general practices and hospital departments having very real difficulties continuing their activity.

“That itself is a risk to patients and of course puts huge pressure on remaining staff. Scottish government urgently needs to consider whether a different approach is required.

“However, any change in the approach to asymptomatic covid contacts who work in the NHS needs to carefully consider the risk to others of them continuing to work and the nature of that work.”

He added: “That has to be balanced against the risk of services being destabilised by rising and large numbers of staff self-isolating if we continue the current policy. These are not easy decisions to make."

A tweet from the Lothian Local Medical Committee – which acts as the representative body for all GPs in the area – called the Health Minister Humza Yousaf to consider bringing forward the planned relaxation of covid restrictions, including isolation requirements:

It comes as NHS Highland declared Raigmore hospital in Inverness was now at ‘code black’ status amid unprecedented levels of demand and a surge in covid cases.

In NHS Lanarkshire, Chief Executive Health Knox has said the suspension of elective care services will be considered at a ‘gold command’ senior team meeting tomorrow.

Ms Knox said those at the meeting will consider how to release more staff to areas experiencing surges in demand, including emergency departments, because of rising covid cases and ‘workforce pressures’.  

Commenting on the call from the BMA, a Scottish government spokesperson said: “We will continue to take scientific advice and are actively reviewing the evidence from the vaccination programme. We will use this to inform any decisions regarding current self-isolation rules, including those working in health and social care, and we will work closely with trade unions and professional organisations when considering next steps.

“While the increase in NHS staff absences over recent weeks is significantly lower than previous phases of the pandemic, this reflects the overall increase in infection rates across the population - and it is a reminder that each of us needs to continue doing all we can to slow the spread of the virus.”

Read more: Hospital at ‘code black’ amid covid-19 resurgence; New funding must focus on ‘traumatised’ staff

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