Pregnancy at work in a healthcare environment and C19
Discussion
I'm looking to find out where to ask for advice on this subject. My partner is new pregnant and works as a dental nurse. The practise have supposedly done some sort of risk assessment and she's been told she should be working until 26 weeks pregnant. The surgery has now opened to see patients, it seems on the days she works my wife is working with a dentist seeing patients while the other (none pregnant) nurses are not seeing patients. This seems somewhat odd to me, surely in the current climate anyone pregnant (and therefore in vulnerable group according to the government) should be last on the list (baring other issues) to stick in a room with patients?
I'm fairly sceptical about the c19 stuff as is my partner she's not thinking she should be off at home on a paid Jolly but just perhaps not the first person sent into a risk environment. She's been told it would be "discrimination" to change how the work is assigned. That to me sounds like the usual case of someone not understanding rights and responsibilities in the workplace?
I'm fairly sceptical about the c19 stuff as is my partner she's not thinking she should be off at home on a paid Jolly but just perhaps not the first person sent into a risk environment. She's been told it would be "discrimination" to change how the work is assigned. That to me sounds like the usual case of someone not understanding rights and responsibilities in the workplace?
The guidance below from RCOG suggests that pregnant women are at no greater risk than anybody else.
https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/guidelines-research-ser...
Not sure if that puts your mind at rest. Personally if my OH was concerned I'd be inclined for her to ask for unpaid leave.
https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/guidelines-research-ser...
Not sure if that puts your mind at rest. Personally if my OH was concerned I'd be inclined for her to ask for unpaid leave.
My main issues are..
-Pregnant women are in the "mildly vulnerable" group so that does make a difference come risk assessment right? maternityaction seem to think so.
-The manager has implied that because other staff members in the same role have been doing "very hard work" (but not patient facing) it would be discriminatory to have them swap around even though it's the same role/job
The 2nd point sounds totally bonkers, if we were discussing lifting heavy objects it would be in no way discriminatory to ask a non pregnant woman to lift a heavy object for a pregnant woman, the risk assessment would make clear the pregnant woman needs to ensure reasonable adjustments have been made to mitigate said risk.
-Pregnant women are in the "mildly vulnerable" group so that does make a difference come risk assessment right? maternityaction seem to think so.
-The manager has implied that because other staff members in the same role have been doing "very hard work" (but not patient facing) it would be discriminatory to have them swap around even though it's the same role/job
The 2nd point sounds totally bonkers, if we were discussing lifting heavy objects it would be in no way discriminatory to ask a non pregnant woman to lift a heavy object for a pregnant woman, the risk assessment would make clear the pregnant woman needs to ensure reasonable adjustments have been made to mitigate said risk.
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