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| Coronavirus: 'Up to 30%' of health workers in Scotland could be off sick | Coronavirus: 'Up to 30%' of health workers in Scotland could be off sick |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| NHS Scotland could be forced to operate with up to 30% of its staff off sick throughout the coronavirus outbreak, Scotland's health secretary has warned. | NHS Scotland could be forced to operate with up to 30% of its staff off sick throughout the coronavirus outbreak, Scotland's health secretary has warned. |
| Jeane Freeman said that even with protective equipment, frontline medical staff were putting themselves at "greater risk" of infection. | Jeane Freeman said that even with protective equipment, frontline medical staff were putting themselves at "greater risk" of infection. |
| The Scottish government is hoping to use student nurses and fifth-year medical students to help fill the gap. | The Scottish government is hoping to use student nurses and fifth-year medical students to help fill the gap. |
| There have now been 27 confirmed coronavirus cases in Scotland. | There have now been 27 confirmed coronavirus cases in Scotland. |
| The UK is currently in the containment stage of the response to the virus. | The UK is currently in the containment stage of the response to the virus. |
| Ms Freeman told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme: "[Health workers] will be at greater risk and and our health staff know that because they will be dealing with people who are sick. | Ms Freeman told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme: "[Health workers] will be at greater risk and and our health staff know that because they will be dealing with people who are sick. |
| "Even with protective equipment, they put themselves at greater risk - that is what we ask them to do. | "Even with protective equipment, they put themselves at greater risk - that is what we ask them to do. |
| "We are modelling on the basis of between 25% and 30% absence rate over the whole period that we think the virus is likely to be with us." | "We are modelling on the basis of between 25% and 30% absence rate over the whole period that we think the virus is likely to be with us." |
| Several GPs have contacted BBC Scotland to say their practices had not been issued with the promised protective equipment, putting them at further risk. | |
| The equipment recommended for health workers who come into contact with patients showing coronavirus symptoms includes; | |
| One GP from Huntly in Aberdeenshire said he had not been supplied with the correct equipment and complained the guidance was "not clear". | |
| Ms Freeman told the BBC that all health boards in Scotland had been asked to issue GPs with protective equipment and she would investigate any individual cases reported to her. | |
| The Scottish government is currently talking to the GMC and other regulatory bodies about whether they can use nursing students and fifth-year medical students to help cover some of the absences. | The Scottish government is currently talking to the GMC and other regulatory bodies about whether they can use nursing students and fifth-year medical students to help cover some of the absences. |
| "We need to make sure that it is possible for them to leave their studies and enter practice through this period - and that they are only being asked to do what they are qualified to do and no more" Ms Freeman said. | "We need to make sure that it is possible for them to leave their studies and enter practice through this period - and that they are only being asked to do what they are qualified to do and no more" Ms Freeman said. |
| The students would also be supervised and steps taken to ensure their deployment did not interfere with exams. | The students would also be supervised and steps taken to ensure their deployment did not interfere with exams. |
| Ministers are also aiming to double the number of intensive care units available to those needing treatment for the coronavirus. | Ministers are also aiming to double the number of intensive care units available to those needing treatment for the coronavirus. |
| The vast majority of those infected will not need hospital treatment, but those that do often require oxygen therapy in the care units. | The vast majority of those infected will not need hospital treatment, but those that do often require oxygen therapy in the care units. |
| "The practicalities of that is that you start to make difficult decisions between NHS care that is critical to life - so that would be cancer treatments, transplants, maternity care - from NHS care that is not critical to life - the replacement of knees, hips and so on," Ms Freeman said. | "The practicalities of that is that you start to make difficult decisions between NHS care that is critical to life - so that would be cancer treatments, transplants, maternity care - from NHS care that is not critical to life - the replacement of knees, hips and so on," Ms Freeman said. |
| "You start to scale down on the non-critical in order to free up the space for the critical and that's where you get additional bed space." | "You start to scale down on the non-critical in order to free up the space for the critical and that's where you get additional bed space." |
| Six people in the UK have died from the virus, with a total of 382 cases across the country. | Six people in the UK have died from the virus, with a total of 382 cases across the country. |
| One of the latest positive test results is UK Health Minister Nadine Dorries. | One of the latest positive test results is UK Health Minister Nadine Dorries. |
| The Department of Health said she first showed symptoms on Thursday - the same day she attended a Downing Street event hosted by the prime minister. | The Department of Health said she first showed symptoms on Thursday - the same day she attended a Downing Street event hosted by the prime minister. |
| How do you treat coronavirus? | How do you treat coronavirus? |
| If people think they have possible symptoms, they should call their GP or NHS 24 by dialling 111 out-of-hours. Advice is also available on the NHS Inform website. | If people think they have possible symptoms, they should call their GP or NHS 24 by dialling 111 out-of-hours. Advice is also available on the NHS Inform website. |
| FOLLOW LIVE: Latest coronavirus updates | FOLLOW LIVE: Latest coronavirus updates |