All bank members working at a client trust (excluding substantive staff, Test and Trace bank members and members working via the National Vaccine Programme) are required to complete a risk assessment before undertaking any shifts. This risk assessment must be completed online. It involves you answering a series of questions designed to indicate whether you are likely to be at greater risk of developing more serious symptoms if you come into contact with COVID-19. The results of this risk assessment will help you, NHS Professionals (NHSP), Doctors Direct and the Trusts you work in to know if you require temporary redeployment to a work area considered low exposure to COVID -19 or temporary workplace modifications based on your level of risk.

The risk assessment questionnaire contains a series of questions and is easy to fill out.

The completion time may vary for each bank member, but we have estimated that it should not take any longer than 5-10mins.

You can access your risk assessment via Join:Bank not via NHS Professionals external provider Optima Health.

To complete your Risk Assessment  log onto your online account (Join Bank) you must use the same details you used to create your application. Once you have logged in, simply click on the ‘My Tasks’ tab under the ‘Menu’ area on the left-hand side to view your outstanding task(s) to complete over the next few weeks. If you have forgotten your password, you can reset this by clicking on ‘forgot your password’ on the login page.

It is important that NHS Professionals and Doctors Direct are aware of any factors that might put you at risk if exposed to coronavirus infection. This will enable us to make informed decisions with you regarding your role and area of work during the pandemic. This information will be stored confidentially and in full compliance with the Data Protection Act (DPA) as informed by GDPR 2018. We will not share this without your consent.

Your risk score is calculated automatically by our system which is based your response to the questions on the self-assessment.  The automated decision making process aims to provide you with a quick and accurate risk score that will help you, NHS Professionals (NHSP), Doctors Direct and the Trusts you work in to know if you require temporary redeployment to a work area considered low exposure to COVID -19 or temporary workplace modifications based on your level of risk.

Yes, you can re-submit your risk assessment, if you feel it does not accurately reflect your current circumstances. It’s important to provide accurate information to ensure your risk score reflects your circumstances. 

 

No, there is no need to discuss your private medical conditions with the Trust.  If clarification is required, NHSP OH Services Support and In Life Care Team may get in touch with you to discuss specifics.

If you have already completed the Trust’s Risk Assessment, we do still require you to login and update your NHSP self-assessment with this information. You can complete your Risk Assessment here

Although communication has recently been circulated regarding both of these questionnaires, they are not related.

Risk Assessment: This questionnaire is entirely COVID-19 related and involves applicants answering a series of questions designed to indicate whether you are likely to be at greater risk of developing more serious symptoms if you come into contact with COVID-19. This Risk Assessment is based on factors such as your age and ethnicity and would not apply as part of an ordinary health assessment process but based on the most recent data available are understood to be particular risk factors associated with the virus and the resultant disease (COVID-19).

To complete your Risk Assessment  log onto your online account here. For more information on your Risk Assessment please email: COVID-RiskAssessment@NHSProfessionals.nhs.uk

Pre-placement questionnaire (Declaration of Health): This questionnaire is managed by our Occupational Health partner Optima Health and is about your medical history and health conditions which may be relevant to your application for specific roles.

For more information on your Pre-placement questionnaire please contact:

Helpdesk number: 03300 084 321

Email: NHSProfessionals@optimahealth.co.uk

If your situation changes and/or if the government advice changes, you should review and update your previously completed risk assessment.

Login into online account by clicking here, using the same details as you used to create your application. Within the My Tasks section, you will find your previously completed risk assessment. Update all required fields and click on submit.

If applicable, a new risk category will be presented to you and confirmed in an email.

If your risk category has not changed you will not be sent a new notification.

In accordance with the guidance published by the Royal Colleague of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at present, there is no evidence to suggest that COVID-19 causes problems with a baby’s development or increases the risk of miscarriage. Emerging evidence now suggests that vertical transmission of the virus being transmitted from mother to baby during the period immediately before and after birth, is probable. The proportion of pregnancies affected by vertical transmission is unknown. However, in the cases where this has happened the babies were discharged from hospital and well.

Pregnant women from 28 weeks’ gestation (in the third trimester of pregnancy), and pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy with significant congenital heart disease, were previously recommended to shield because being at very high risk of developing severe illness from Coronavirus. Shielding guidance has now paused but it is happening differently in the four nations of the UK – advice in England, in Scotland, in Wales, and in Northern Ireland. In areas with local lockdowns, the advice to shield may be re-introduced. Further information on local restrictions is available from each of the national webpages linked to above.

The Government advice is still advising that pregnant women who can work from home should continue to do so but you can continue to work in a public/patient facing role provided you have completed an appropriate risk assessment to ensure that unprotected exposure to the virus is minimised. You should continue to take the precautions as recommended ensuring that you are trained and competent in applying infection control practices, including necessary PPE and that these can always be implemented and adhered to. This includes ensuring consistent availability of appropriate PPE.  Please speak to your midwife or doctor (obstetrician) with any questions you may have. You can also contact HR and OH Services Support and In Life Care Team for further advice. For pregnant women under 28 weeks’ gestation (in the first and second trimester of pregnancy), with no underlying health conditions, please refer to the latest guidance from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists for more information.

We know there are unwell people, including those with COVID-19, in health and social care environments. Working in these types of environments inevitably means having some contact, including working with other members of staff. Maintaining social distancing can be difficult.  However, much greater precautions are now taken in health and social care environments, using Personal Protective Equipment where appropriate and ensuring more hand washing and cleaning. In addition, steps are taken to identify and segregate higher risk patients.

All bank members working at a client trust (excluding substantive staff, Test and Trace bank members and members working via the National Vaccine Programme) are required to complete a risk assessment before undertaking any shifts. This risk assessment must be completed online here. It involves you answering a series of questions designed to indicate whether you are likely to be at greater risk of developing more serious symptoms if you come into contact with COVID-19. The results of this risk assessment will help you, NHS Professionals (NHSP), Doctors Direct and the Trusts you work in to know if you require temporary redeployment to a work area considered low exposure to COVID -19 or temporary workplace modifications based on your level of risk.

There is emerging evidence that BAME communities are being disproportionally affected by COVID-19. The cause of this is currently being investigated. However, in the meantime NHS Professionals and Doctors Direct want to ensure that your personal risk is reduced to the lowest possible level. Therefore, all Bank Members should undertake a risk assessment.

If Occupational Health Services Support and In Life Care Team have advised you to put adjustments in place to reduce your risk and level of exposure, you need to have a conversation with your local NHSP Trust Services team who will work with you and the Trust to try and place you in a more appropriate role.

Please contact your local NHSP Trust Services Team to book an appointment to discuss further.  

There is an antibody test that is currently available which is extremely accurate in determining whether you have been previously exposed to COVID-19. However, this test cannot determine or confirm your immunity to the virus.

Currently it is unknown how long any immunity to COVID-19 might last. If you become unwell again, you should self-isolate and request a test appointment.

Mild is likely to be condition which may or may not cause symptoms, be managed with no or low dose medication and that has a limited effect on your daily lives. Moderate is likely the condition which may have an impact on your daily life and may require stronger dose in medication or a combination of medications to help manage your symptoms.

All workers will be treated as individuals and due regard will be given to all worker in terms of temporary redeployment to a work area considered low exposure to COVID -19 or temporary workplace modifications based on the level of risk. Where an individual has a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010, any actions taken following the risk assessment will not be discriminatory. It must be recognised that individuals can accept a degree of increased risk if they choose to do so. Further advice can be sought from HR or Occupational Health as appropriate.

When trying to complete your risk assessment, please can you ensure you are doing all the following steps:

• Using a computer/laptop on Google Chrome
• Logging into Join Bank not My:Bank
• Using your email address, you used to create your application as your username
• Clicking on ‘forgotten password’ if you do not remember your password, or this is the first time using the Join Bank website
• Clicking on My Tasks, scrolling down to Risk Assessment, and clicking ‘update/complete’

 

If you are still unable to locate or complete the assessment form, please contact our National Service Centre or your local NHSP Trust office.

The form will also work on a tablet or smart phone and can be submitted through this mechanism.

Join Bank and My:Bank are not connected. Although you will have the same username log in (your email address) the passwords may be different.

It is also likely that you have never had to use Join Bank before if you are an existing worker, as it is a new system. In this case, you will need to click forgotten password to set up a password. Changing/updating your password will not affect your details for My:Bank.

If your assessment results in a high risk, the OH Services Support & In Life Care Team will contact you to arrange a telephone assessment. They will go through everything with you and discuss what works best for you as an individual.  Please do not contact us unless you cannot make the arrangement appointment.

If adjustments are required, you will be advised during your telephone assessment of the best the next appropriate steps and your information maybe passed onto HR or your local Trust Services Team who will contact you. 

Firstly, please ensure you have followed the steps below:

• You are using a computer/laptop on Google Chrome
• Logging into Join Bank not My:Bank
• Using your email address, you used to create your application as your username
• Clicking on ‘forgotten password’ if you do not remember your password, or this is the first time using the Join Bank website
•  Clicking on My Tasks, scrolling down to Risk Assessment, and clicking ‘update/complete’

If you are still experiencing technical issues, please contact your local NHSP Trust Office to book an appointment  or contact our National Service Centre, 03332 407 552 who will help to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.

 

For our Human Resources Team please call: 03332 407 552 or email fwhr@nhsp.nhs.uk. For our Occupational Health Team please call: 03330144362 or email COVID-RiskAssessment@NHSProfessionals.nhs.uk. Please do not contact this team if you are completing a risk assessment for the National Vaccination Campaign. Please refer to the separate FAQs below for specific contact details.

The original question at the outset of the application process was to do with declaring whether you were ‘Clinically Vulnerable’ or ‘Extremely Clinically Vulnerable’ in line with relevant guidelines. This relates to public guidance around work generally and public guidance during the pandemic. While there is clear crossover between those that are Clinically Vulnerable and those that would be determined high risk as part of this assessment process, the COVID Risk Assessment takes in a number of factors and is specific to whether or not you can be safely deployed within a patient facing environment as an NHS worker.

The Occupational Health Assessment completed previously is designed to establish whether or not your current health impacts your ability to undertake a role on the Vaccination Programme and is based specifically on health and medical information. The COVID Risk Assessment is about managing the specific risks to your health if you were to contract COVID-19. The assessment is based on personal characteristics, other than your health or medical history, and is subject to regular updates as more data is obtained about the impact of the virus on certain groups.

It involves you answering a series of questions designed to indicate whether you are likely to be at greater risk of developing more serious symptoms if you come into contact with COVID-19. The results of this risk assessment will help you, NHS Professionals (NHSP) and the Trusts you may be deployed to work in to know if you require temporary redeployment to a work area considered low exposure to COVID-19 or temporary workplace modifications based on your level of risk.

We are requesting all applicants to the programme to complete a risk assessment based on current health guidelines. The assessment is completed online as a questionnaire within the applicant portal.

It is important that NHS Professionals, or any subsequent NHS Trust employer, is aware of any factors that might put you at risk if exposed to coronavirus infection. This will enable an employer to make informed decisions with you regarding your role and area of work during the pandemic. This information will be stored confidentially and in full compliance with the Data Protection Act (DPA) as informed by GDPR 2018. We will not share this without your consent, but we will be required to pass the information to any third party that subsequently employs you on the programme.

The system will generate a risk score, based on your responses to the questions on the self-assessment questionnaire. Risk scores and weightings are regularly updated as new information is made available by relevant authorities. The risk score will flag whether or not there are any indicators that suggest you would be at a ‘high risk’ of serious illness if you contracted COVID-19.

If your responses do not identify you as high risk based on the overall risk score or based on any individual responses to the questionnaire, you will be automatically progressed to the next stage of the process. If your responses identify you as high risk, then you will be contacted by a member of NHS Professionals’ internal Occupational Health function to discuss your response and any next steps.

Current data and advice indicates that individuals identified as high risk cannot be safely deployed to a ‘high-exposure’ area during the COVID-19 pandemic – even with effective Personal Protective Equipment. As all vaccination sites will likely be classed as high-exposure areas based on the volume of patient interactions, you may not be able to be deployed to the National Vaccination Programme until the current risk level changes or the risk factors are reviewed in light of further research into the impact of COVID-19. The advice will be reviewed regularly, including when the Vaccination Programme itself reaches the stage where a proportion of the population have received the full course of the relevant vaccine.

Depending on your location, your skills and your training, it may also be possible for you to join the NHS Professionals bank and be deployed to support the NHS elsewhere during this critical time in a ‘low-exposure’ area. This will be discussed with you when you are contacted by the Occupational Health team based on your particular circumstances.

All high-risk applicants will be contacted by our Occupational Health team (unless you have withdrawn your consent for us to do so). This means you will have the opportunity to discuss the reason that your result has been returned as high risk and also address any change in your circumstances since submitting the form.

Please note, however, that any employer (whether that be NHS Professionals or a lead trust delivering the National Vaccination Programme) has a duty of care to ensure it does not place staff into a work location where recognised risks to their health cannot be adequately managed – even where staff are informed of such risks.

Your responses to the information in the COVID-19 Risk Assessment questionnaire are only accessible to members of the NHS Professionals Occupational Health team. Our recruitment teams cannot see the questionnaire responses, they can only see indicators that allow them to progress your application or make a referral of your application to the Occupational Health team.

Please note that, if you are deployed to the National Vaccination Programme as a direct employee of a lead trust, rather than on the NHS Professionals bank, we will (subject to your consent) pass the details of the COVID-19 Risk Assessment to a named HR or Occupational Health representative of that lead trust.

If your situation changes, please contact the Occupational Health team on NVOH@nhsprofessionals.nhs.uk and we will re-issue a COVID-19 Risk Assessment for you to complete.

If the advice changes in respect of the levels of risk, we will update the COVID-19 Risk Assessment questionnaire on the portal accordingly and invite any applicant that has not been deployed to re-submit.

Please note that it will take some time for UK citizens outside of the highest risk groups to receive a full course of the relevant vaccine. However, it is expected that guidance will be updated at a later date to allow individuals previously classed as high risk to operate in patient-facing environments after completing a full course. When this guidance has been received, we will update the COVID-19 Risk Assessment accordingly to capture vaccination status as with any other change in guidance. If updated, the questionnaire will be re-issued to anyone that has previously submitted an assessment indicating that they are high risk (unless you have withdrawn consent for your details to be retained for the National Vaccination Programme).

There is an antibody test that is currently available which is extremely accurate in determining whether you have been previously exposed to COVID-19. However, this test cannot determine or confirm your immunity to the virus which means it would have no impact on your risk status.

Currently it is unknown how long any immunity to COVID-19 might last. If you become unwell again, you should self-isolate and request a test appointment. Having previously recovered from COVID-19 will not impact your risk status for the purposes of this risk assessment.

‘Mild’ is likely to describe a condition that may or may not cause symptoms, be managed with no or low-dose medication and has a limited effect (or no effect) on your daily life. ‘Moderate’ is likely to describe a condition that may have an impact on your daily life and may require a stronger dose of medication, or a combination of medications to help manage your symptoms. The condition may take some effort to manage but will still have only a limited impact on your day-to-day life.

Unfortunately, the datasets used to formulate the COVID-19 Risk Assessment guidance and risk ratings are currently limited to those contained within the questionnaire. We do appreciate these may not always match those genders or ethnicities that applicants may identify with. We would ask that you complete the questionnaire based on the relevant category that you most closely identify with. Please also note that if you identify as female, the questionnaire will also ask you to identify whether you are currently pregnant or suspect that you are pregnant. This information is very important for the purposes of the COVID-19 Risk Assessment, especially given the potential impact on you and your baby. If you would prefer not to disclose the information on this basis, please contact the Occupational Health team via: NVOH@nhsprofessionals.nhs.uk

If you need help completing the COVID-19 Risk Assessment questionnaire, or you have a question that is not covered here, please email the Occupational Health team on: NVOH@nhsprofessionals.nhs.uk Please provide your contact details, and a member of the team will be in touch. Please note that, due to the extremely high levels of activity on the National Vaccination Programme, the team may not be able to respond immediately.

If you are having technical issues accessing the questionnaire via the portal, please use the webchat function within the portal to contact our service centre. Please do not contact the service centre to discuss your responses to the questionnaire.