§ Mrs. Margaret EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of medical and nursing staff in Scotland who have contacted hepatitis B in each of the last 10 years; and how many medical nursing staff have died from contracting hepatitis B in these years.
§ Mr. Michael Forsyth[holding answer 15 June 1990]: This information is not held centrally. National statistics about the incidence of hepatitis B do not separately identify particular occupational groups.
§ Mrs. Margaret EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total expenditure by the Scottish454W Home and Health Department over the past 10 years in advertising risks to medical staff of contracting hepatitis B as a result of their work.
§ Mr. Michael Forsyth[holding answer 15 June 1990]: The Scottish Home and Health Department does not incur specific expenditure on advertising the occupational risks of hepatitis B to medical staff. The Department does, however, issue to health boards the memorandum "Immunisation against Infectious Disease", which is prepared and regularly revised for the health departments by the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation. The memorandum, the latest edition of which has just been sent to health boards, identifies the occupational groups, including medical staff, particularly at risk from hepatitis B and gives advice on those to whom vaccination should be offered. Further advice is contained in "Guidance for Clinical Health Care Workers: Protection against Infection with HIV and Hepatitis Viruses". This booklet, which was issued by the Department to health boards recently, contains guidance on measures for the protection of health care workers in hospital and the community against occupational infection with HIV and hepatitis viruses.
The occupational health services within health boards will also give advice to medical staff about the risks of contracting hepatitis B and on the protective measures which can be taken.