Self-isolation period prior to an NHS hospital operation

emzdimples

My Dad was notified last week on Wednesday 22nd July that he has a rescheduled and long-awaited cataract operation on Fri 7th Aug. He is telling me his employer will not allow him 2 weeks time off work to self-isolate prior to the op despite the NHS requesting for him to do so - can his employer do this? He says because he couldn't give his employer enough notice (which is true really - 2 days before the self isolation period should have started!) and it's because he has the last of his holiday time allocated for a trip to Spain in Sept (booked before Covid) and therefore maybe will need to take another 2 weeks off after that according to new quarantine rules.... unfortunately due to the nature of his job (building security) he is not able to do his job from home in any capacity.

bradders1983

Has he asked if he can have the two weeks off unpaid?

emzdimples

I suggested this but he says he can't afford to take the time off unpaid so yes I guess he is expecting someone else to pay him (a ludicrous thought in my eyes but he is a stubborn old man)

onwards&upwards

Current advice is not to travel to Spain unless essential, and if the quarantine rule is still in place in September then it would be more reasonable and professional to cancel the holiday then to spring an extra 2 weeks absence on his boss. 

Then he can use the holiday time for his self isolation.  That's what's most important.  Its there so that he doesn't inadvertently take Covid into the hospital and infect staff or other patients, and so that there is no chance he will become ill with it during the initial stages of his recovery affecting his own health.

emzdimples

I agree absolutely. He however doesn't see things that way.

I might add the holiday is to Fuerteventura so Canaries.... so technically at he can still holiday there (therefore I assume he won't be covered by travel insurance)

bradders1983

If he isnt prepared to compromise and nobody in your family can "talk him down", there is absolutely nothing you can do. I would not suggest interfering and speaking with his employer yourself. 

gt94sss2

emzdimples said:

I might add the holiday is to Fuerteventura so Canaries.... so technically at he can still holiday there 

The FCO has added the Spanish islands to the list of "essential travel only" countries today

onwards&upwards

If he doesn't self isolate before his surgery, he needs to tell the team at the hospital that he hasn't so they can risk assess and decide whether its appropriate to still go ahead. 

unforeseen

Unfortunately the outcome, because it is not an operation to deal with a life threatening condition, will be that they will postpone the operation until such time that either he can do the self isolation or the hospital rules get relaxed. 

onwards&upwards

unforeseen said:

Unfortunately the outcome, because it is not an operation to deal with a life threatening condition, will be that they will postpone the operation until such time that either he can do the self isolation or the hospital rules get relaxed. 

Well yes, probably. 

And I think if the OP's dad isn't planning to be honest with the hospital then the OP should make a phone call and let them know. 

silvercar

NICE announced yesterday that patients won't need to self isolate for 2 weeks prior to routine surgery. Instead they should socially distance for 2 weeks and self isolate for a few days after taking a covid test.