Make do and mend

Many thanks.

Good idea
I went into a shop and the assistant had made his own visor. I saw an elderly lady in a mobility scooter and she had made and attached a visor fashioned like the peak on an old Easter bonnet.

When I go out I wear polythene disposable gloves which I then wash in hot soapy water, several pairs at a time, rinse in disinfectant and then hang on the line in the UV light.

Do all nurses and healthcare workers have facilities to change out of their uniform when going off duty.? And do they have to wash their own uniforms?

These days very few hospitals and nursing homes have facilities for nurses and other staff to change out of their uniforms before travelling home, it used to be frowned upon if you travelled in uniform. There have been some hospitals that have asked nurses and carers to change before leaving the hospital, but that has been on security grounds.
Most nurses also wash their own uniforms, the advice is that they are washed at 60C to ensure that bacteria and viruses are killed. If they wear 'scrubs' these are washed in the hospital laundry. There are some facilities that have popped up to wash uniforms of nurses and carers, but these seem to be local launderettes that are stepping up.
I've attached a link for some information and can provide you with the documents covering laundry advice generally and in with Covid-19 if you would like them.

Thank you Alexandra for the uniform washing details.
My concerns are that leaving work with a dirty uniform on can contaminate.
I am also concerned to see nurses and HCA's in supermarkets or other food shops.
If their uniforms are clean when they leave home, what is picked-up between leaving home and arriving on a ward.

I spoke to PHE about possible infection risks when going into a food shop after finishing a shift. I was advised that given all that is happening at the moment with Covid the risk was of little significance as staff do not wear scrubs or PPE off site.

As far as Covid-19 is concerned i don't see it as a major concern, as the staff working in those areas are all wearing scrubs, which do not leave the hospital.
District and community staff are supposed to wear a coat over their uniforms to reduce the risk of cross-contamination, but they all wear aprons over their uniforms when delivering any care.
Ideally, uniforms would not be worn to and from work, unless in the district, when infection control issues are slightly different anyway, under normal circumstances.
Currently, I would not expect to see any uniforms being worn, without a coat covering them, anywhere (saying that I did see two physio's walking around this morning with no coats over their uniforms).

Gone are the days when all hospital uniform was washed on site and staff only changed at work,it should be mandatory,care homes should be made to provide facilities to shower / change before starting /leaving shift. good basic personal hygiene. We are the ones most likely ones to take infection into a facility rather than the clients/patients.Uniforms should be covered at all times outside the delivery setting and employers should ensuring staff adhere to this.

Thanks Kevin

I am glad I am not the only stick-in-the-mud. We are told to keep 2 meters apart to avoid contamination. But we can wear uniforms into food shops and on public transport during a pandemic. In care homes elderly are very vulnerable.

Jan