Health Services: Coronavirus

(asked on 20th March 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance she is issuing to public health officers to take into account a person’s wellbeing and personal requirements under schedule 20 of the Coronavirus Bill.


Answered by
Jo Churchill Portrait
Jo Churchill
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
This question was answered on 29th May 2020

The guidance issued by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to public health officers will include guidance on wellbeing and personal circumstances. However, public health officers are trained in taking into account a person’s wellbeing. This will be no different for responding to someone suspected of having COVID-19.

The guidance to public health officers (PHOs) will set out that a PHO should give particular consideration to the needs of people with protected characteristics for example, the needs of children, the elderly, those with disabilities, those with existing medical conditions, those with mental health conditions, those who are pregnant, those who may not speak English, and any other groups on whom the impact of those requirements might be greater than would otherwise be the case. For example, individuals with mobility needs may need to be provided with appropriate accommodation and adjustments made if they are to be placed into supported isolation.

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