Gateshead Health has become the second NHS trust in the North East to require staff to wear face masks, as levels of flu and Covid-19 continue to rise across the region.
The trust, which runs the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Bensham Hospital, introduced the measure on October 28. Visitors are also being asked to wear masks in clinical areas. The decision follows a similar move last week by South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Trust, which brought forward mask-wearing rules and launched its "Clean Hands" hygiene campaign.
Reason for the new rules
Gateshead leaders cited "an increase in respiratory infections including influenza A and Covid-19" as the reason for the change. Beth Swanson, chief nurse and the trust's director of infection prevention and control (IPC), said: "We are seeing an increase in respiratory infections across our services and are introducing additional precautions to protect our patients, staff and visitors."
She added: "Many of the people we care for are particularly vulnerable to respiratory infections, so wearing face masks in clinical areas is an important measure to help reduce the risk of infection spreading. We will review the requirements every week using the latest local data and clinical advice, and make changes when it is appropriate to do so."
Where masks are required
Dr Jonathan Moore, a consultant medical microbiologist, said: "Respiratory viruses, including influenza A and COVID-19, are circulating in our communities and hospitals. Vaccination and wearing a face mask can help reduce the spread of respiratory viruses and protect vulnerable patients and colleagues. Prevention starts with us, and the simple steps we take can make a difference."
Face masks will be required in clinical areas such as hospital wards, emergency and assessment areas, treatment and examination rooms, and some specialist clinics. This will be subject to "appropriate clinical exceptions and reasonable adjustments".
Other trusts' positions
Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust is monitoring the situation closely and may adopt an approach that brings in mask-wearing first in high-risk areas. Northumbria Healthcare, which runs hospitals in North Tyneside and Northumberland, currently has "no plans" to introduce mask-wearing measures.
A spokesperson for Northumbria Healthcare said: "At present, there are no plans to reintroduce mandatory mask wearing across Northumbria Healthcare sites. We continue to monitor levels of respiratory illness and infection prevention and control guidance and will keep our approach under review. Patients and visitors are encouraged to wear a face mask if they have symptoms of a respiratory infection or if they are visiting areas where vulnerable patients are being cared for. If there are any changes to our current position, we will communicate these accordingly."
Health leaders in Sunderland last week reported that cases of winter respiratory illnesses had jumped 80% across a week.
