Junior doctors "press ganged" into HIV tests
Junior doctors "press ganged" into HIV tests
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Thursday, 02, Jul 2009 12:10
Junior doctors are feeling "press ganged" into having HIV tests, new research claims.
A report published in the Journal of Medical Ethics looked at doctors currently working in England and their attitudes to HIV tests offered to them as part of their pre-employment occupational health checks.
In 2007 the Department of Health issued new guidance relating to health screens for doctors working in the UK stipulating that all staff should be offered tests for the serious blood-borne viruses hepatitis B and C, HIV and TB to protect patients from infection.
Today's report claims, however, that the guidance made it clear the tests were not mandatory for doctors whose work does not expose them to these viruses, nor are they a prerequisite for employment.
In interviewing the doctors, researchers found the health professionals were unaware they may need the test until they received a letter and they were not given any information on why they might need it.
Few of the doctors interviewed said they were offered any follow up counselling or discussion and the majority said they did not feel they had the option to refuse the test.
Today's report claims the risk of HIV transmission from healthcare workers to patients is in the order of one to 42,000, while the risk of transmission from a patient to a doctor is one in 300.
The authors also warn the HIV testing policy offers false reassurance to patients, pointing out the fact it only applies to new employees meaning senior doctors who may have been performing high-risk (for HIV acquisition) procedures may not be tested.