This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Working group on blood-borne viral infections
11/08/2005
The membership and remit of a group set up to address the needs of those potentially exposed to blood-borne infections after an assault was announced today.
The working group will be chaired by the Very Rev Graham Forbes and will include members from the medical profession, police, victims' representatives and other interest groups.
As announced in June, it will review the arguments for and against the proposals in the Executive's consultation on mandatory blood testing of suspects following criminal incidents where there is a risk of infection.
It will also make recommendations about all aspects of the care given to those who face such risks after an assault, in the light of the issues and concerns raised during the consultation.
Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson said:
"Being assaulted is traumatic enough for any victim. However, this situation is likely to be made worse if the victim is concerned that their attack may have put them at risk of a blood-borne infection.
"While I am committed to ensuring that their concerns are properly addressed, I am equally aware of the wide ranging issues raised in response to our consultation. As pledged in June, when I published the responses, a working group under the Very Rev Graham Forbes has now been established to examine those issues and help find practical ways of supporting individuals who may be put at risk in this way.
"This will include advising whether legislative change is appropriate and how we may improve care, advice and treatment for anyone who may have been exposed to a blood-borne infection during an assault - whether that be in their line of duty or an attack on the general public."
The remit of the working group is as follows:
- By October, to review the arguments for and against the proposals in the Executive's consultation document on Blood testing following criminal incidents where there is a risk of infection, and to advise whether legislative change would be appropriate;
- To identify existing best practice in protecting front-line workers and victims of crime from blood-borne viral infections and from anxiety about them, and to recommend any changes necessary to ensure high quality care is available to different groups, focussing in particular on occupational health services and their links with the NHS, as well as the care which is available to other (ie civilian) groups of victims through the NHS;
- To advise what additional guidance should be issued to groups who may face risks of blood-borne viral infection in occupational settings.
The group will be chaired by the Very Rev Graham Forbes, Provost of St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh, and will include the following members:
Dr Oliver Blatchford, British Medical Association
Dr Ray Brettle, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh and UK Expert Advisory Group on AIDS
Sandy Brindley, Rape Crisis Scotland
Dr Bill Carman, West of Scotland Specialist Virology Centre and UK Advisory Group on Hepatitis
Linda Dorward, Scottish Prison Service
Prof David Goldberg, Health Protection Scotland
Joe Grant, Scottish Police Federation
Roy Kilpatrick, HIV Scotland
Jim McDonald, Scottish Police Federation
Rosemarie McIlwhan, Scottish Human Rights Centre
Dr Elizabeth Murphy, NHS Grampian Occupational Health Service
Dr Nicola Rowan, UK Hepatitis C Resource Centre, Mainliners
Dr Kirsty Roy, Health Protection Scotland (alternate for Prof Goldberg)
Dr Gordon Scott, Scottish HIV/AIDS Group
Andrea Sillars, Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland
Jane Todd, GMC Scotland
Dave Watson, Unison Scotland
Dr Monika Watt, Medical and Nursing Advisers to the Scottish Police Service
The group is expected to report back with its full recommendations to the Executive by April next year.
The Executive launched its consultation on mandatory blood testing of suspects following criminal incidents in February this year. The original consultation paper can be accessed via the following link:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/00020750
Seventy responses were received from those representing varying interests including victim support, medical and health organisations, police and emergency services, HIV and hepatitis support groups, trade unions and others. Twenty-nine responses supported the proposals and 29 disagreed, while 12 were neutral or in favour of the proposals only in part. The responses can be accessed via:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/06/23110252/02549
A summary of the responses is also available, via:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/resource/doc/54357/0013706.pdf