Government to review guidelines on HIV-infected health workers. (England)

England

The government announced an urgent review of guidelines on HIV-infected health workers after reports a health authority concealed the AIDS-related death of one of its doctors.

Health Secretary Virginia Bottomley told lawmakers that existing guidelines needed to be examined to see what further steps could be taken to impress on health workers their ethical duties "where they may be at risk of passing infection on."

"All healthcare workers who believe they may have any condition, including HIV infection, which might put their patient's safety at risk must seek medical advice," Bottomley said. "They must put their patient's safety first." …