AIDS/HIV Infected Health Care Workers: Guidance on the Management of Infected Health Care Workers and Patient Notification
ANNEX D SOURCES OF ADVICE AND SUPPORT
1. The PHLS Virus Reference Division at the Central Public Health Laboratory, 61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5HT (020-8200 4400) can:
provide facilities for rapid confirmatory testing of specimens initially reactive for anti-HIV antibody;
advise on the collection of specimens for HIV gene sequencing and make provision for the long term storage of specimens;
arrange for any necessary molecular investigations to be conducted in collaboration with other experts.
2. The PHLS Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre (CDSC), 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ (020-8200-6868) and/or Regional Epidemiologists can provide:
background scientific information on the outcome of patient notification exercises which have been conducted;
field advice and support to any incident team established to manage such an incident, including help with drafting model letters and information sheets for GPs and exposed patients;
facilities for collating HIV test results from widely scattered laboratories and forwarding them to the incident team co-ordinating a patient notification exercise;
advice on the investigation of HIV infected persons in whom risk factors for infection have not been identified;
advice on the selection of suitable "control" HIV infected persons, should HIV gene sequencing investigations be considered necessary.
3. The Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health, Clifton House. Clifton Place, Glasgow, G3 7LN (Tel: 0141-300 1100) can provide similar advice to the above in Scotland.
4. The National AIDS Helpline, Tel: 0800-567123. This English language service offers confidential advice, information and referrals on all aspects of HIV and AIDS. The service is free and lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Services are also available in other languages.
5. Faculty of Occupational Medicine, Royal College of Physicians, 6 St Andrews Place, Regents Park, London, NW1 4LB (Tel: 020-7487-3414).
6. Secretary to the Association of National Health Service Occupational Physicians (ANHOPs), c/o Sheffield Occupational Health Services, Northern General Hospital, Sheffield, S5 7AU Tel: (0114-271 4161).
7. Department of Health Press Office, Richmond House, 79 Whitehall, London, SW1A 2NS (Tel 020-7210-5658).
8. Association of British Insurers, 51 Gresham Street, London, EC2V 7HQ (Tel 020-7600 3333).
9. NHS Pensions Agency, Injury Benefits Manager, 200-220 Broadway, Fleetwood, Lancashire, FY7 8LG.
10. Employment Medical Advisory Service (EMAS)/Health and Safety Executive (HSE) For details of your local EMAS/HSE contact Health and Safety Information, (Tel: 0541-545500).