Health and Wellbeing

Advice for SPS staff

What should I do if I feel unwell and have symptoms consistent with Covid-19 (new continuous cough or high temperature or loss of/change in sense of smell or taste)?

You should stay at home for 10 days from the start of symptoms and arrange to be tested.  Contact your manager or employing MSP to let them know. You should also consult NHS Inform for further information on what to do next and when to seek further medical advice.  Further information on testing is available on the Wellbeing page of this site.

For all Covid-19 health related questions, it is vital that you refer to up to date information as advice can change rapidly. The Scottish Government asks that we direct you to NHS Inform. 

Please see HR advice on how your absence from work will be treated

Testing

Anyone developing symptoms consistent with COVID-19 (new continuous cough or a high temperature or loss of/ change in sense of smell or taste), however mild, should stay at home for 10 days from the start of symptoms and arrange to be tested. You should consult NHS Inform for further information on what to do next and when to seek further medical advice. As part of the ‘Test and Protect’ approach, everyone with symptoms is encouraged to get tested.

You can book a test through NHS Inform. Household members of those with symptoms should follow the guidance for households with possible COVID-19 infection on NHS Inform.

The process to request a test suggests that people who are categorised as key workers could be tested sooner.

If you must attend the Scottish Parliament in person for essential business you are a key worker and can state this when self-referring for a test. If a member of your household becomes symptomatic, meaning you might have to self-isolate for 10 days, that person can also be tested due to your status.

This process allows key workers who cannot work from home to return to work if their test results are negative. You do not need to self-isolate if you or a household member are symptomatic but have tested negative for COVID-19.

Health and social care workers in Scotland remain the top priority for testing.

Step-by-step instructions to self-refer to a test are here:
https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested/pages/arrange-a-test/

What if I feel unwell at in the office with virus-like symptoms?

If you are in the office, you should inform your manager or another colleague as soon as you notice symptoms. You should minimise contact with others and leave work to self‑isolate straight away and, if possible, wear a face covering on route and avoid public transport.  When at home you should visit www.nhsinform.scot or, if you can’t get online, call 0800 028 2816, to arrange to get tested.

What if someone is too unwell to travel home?

If they are so unwell that they require an ambulance, phone 999 and let the call handler know you are concerned about COVID-19. Call the security control room on 85333 and tell the team manager what has happened. Whilst you wait for advice or an ambulance to arrive, try to find somewhere safe for the unwell person to sit which is at least 2 metres away from other people. Ideally this is somewhere behind a closed door. This could be one of the first aid rooms in the garden lobby or main hall, or an empty office or meeting room. If it is possible to open a window, do so for ventilation. The individual should avoid touching people, surfaces and objects and be advised to cover their mouth and nose with a disposable tissue when they cough or sneeze, and then put the tissue in the bin.

What about cleaning and disinfection afterwards?

In all cases where someone has been unwell, or called in sick from home with virus -like symptoms, you should call the FM Helpdesk to arrange for their work area or isolation room to be cleaned and sanitised. Our cleaning team will clean and sanitise the person’s desk and touch areas in the vicinity of places they have been. It is helpful if you can take down details of what the person was doing in the building and who they may have been in contact with, as these may be helpful later on.

I am worried about this affecting my work and wellbeing, what can I do?

We have developed  wellbeing guidance (internal link) to provide line managers with a practical guide to support their team members during Covid-19. It aims to identify any risks to physical and mental health, safety and wellbeing and to make sure we as an organisation respond appropriately to these.  The purpose is to ensure that everyone feels supported in doing their job.

We understand that the situation is placing extraordinary demands on many colleagues and that you may be worried about friends and family members.  Please talk to your manager, employer or HR for support.

Further resources

We are aware that this could be impacting on people’s mental health and wellbeing.

A wide range of resources are available on the Wellbeing intranet site.

The following resources are also available to support you with managing your mental health and wellbeing, offering some good tips on how to stay healthy, active and making time for rest and relaxation.

This service available to all staff is open 24/7.

Mental Health First Aiders are available to provide support and guidance, or even just a listening ear, for any colleagues in need of support in difficult times. Contact details are available on their intranet page.

This 12 track audio programme developed by the Foundation for Positive Mental Health uses relaxation and cognitive behavioural therapy to help develop and increase resilience.

If you want to have a chat with a colleague, get in touch with one of our Parly Connect volunteers. We want everyone to feel part of our community and no one should feel isolated or alone.

The slides from the Wellbeing webinars are available on SPLearning

The Mental Health at Work network has created a toolkit pulling together resources from various mental health charities.

We would also encourage colleagues to read these useful resources developed by mental health charities. These include helpful tips on working from home, and dealing with stress, anxiety and feelings of isolation.

You can also sign up to regular updates from the Scottish Parliament’s Mental Health network.

If you do have any other questions, suggestions or ideas to help support colleagues, please email notifyusCOVID19@parliament.scot.