- LONDON (Reuters) - The government
is considering carrying out HIV tests on all new doctors and nurses joining
its NHS, a newspaper has reported.
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- The Sunday Telegraph said the move was prompted by the
discovery of 10 HIV-positive nurses working for the NHS who were recruited
from South Africa, which has one of the world's highest levels of HIV.
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- It quoted an unnamed Department of Health official as
saying: "We will hold a consultation on proposals for HIV testing
for all new health workers in the New Year."
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- The NHS is heavily dependent on foreign recruits, especially
from Africa, Asia and Australia, to staff its hospitals and other health
centers.
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- But the paper said all newly registered medical staff
would be tested--including British-born staff--to eliminate charges of
discrimination.
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- Health workers found to be HIV-positive would not necessarily
be barred from working in the NHS, but would be restricted to certain types
of work, the paper said.
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- Britain is expected to recruit many thousands more doctors
and nurses from overseas in future years to fill ambitious recruitment
plans for an improved NHS promised by Prime Minister Tony Blair's government
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