I’m a doctor. Should I work outside my field of practice during the pandemic?
Whilst it is acknowledged that doctors may be working in unfamiliar circumstances or surroundings, or in clinical areas outside their usual practice. Doctors should consider the best course of action to take in these circumstances by utilising the following:
- What is within their knowledge and skills
- What support other members of the healthcare team could offer
- What will be best for the individual patient given available options
- The protection and needs of all patients they have a responsibility towards
- Minimising the risk of transmission and protecting their health.
Related FAQs
Although an employer is obliged to conduct consultation “with a view to reaching an agreement”, it is not required to actually agree to any counter proposals made by the employee representatives. Merely to consider them in good faith.
Yes: The Cabinet Office has published a number of Procurement Policy Notes to provide instructions to Public Bodies to enable payments to continue to be made to at risk suppliers (and their supply chains) who have been affected by Covid-19. Copies of this guidance can be obtained from the Government website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/procurement-policy-note-0220-supplier-relief-due-to-covid-19
The Government has produced workplace guidance for employers, setting out 2 key messages for employers:
- Continue to make workplaces as safe as possible; and
- Encourage workers to heed any notifications to self-isolate and to support them while they are require to isolate
Government guidance can be accessed here: How it works (an overview) and Workplace guidance for employers.
Yes but the sponsor must report this on the Sponsor Management System within 10 working days and must follow normal employment law principles.
If this results in the sponsored worker’s falling below the minimum required salary the usual position is that they cannot continued to be sponsored. However the government has implemented a concession for sponsors who have ceased trading or temporarily reduced trading which allows the salary to be reduced to 80% of the figure stated on the Certificate of Sponsorship or £2,500 per month, whichever is lower.
As above, employees must not leave their home unless they have a ‘reasonable excuse’.