CARA Sharing Session

School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol

Community Audit of Risk Assessments (CARA): updating policy and practice regarding blood borne viruses in local institutions

Engine Shed, Brunel's Boardroom

<p>At this event, we will be sharing key learning from our project Community Audit of Risk Assessments: updating policy and practice regarding blood borne viruses in local institutions and with your help will be considering next steps (locally and nationally).</p><p>A fully catered lunch will be provided.</p><p>Places are free but must be booked via Eventbrite.</p><h3>Getting to the venue</h3><p>Engine Shed is located right next to Bristol Temple Meads railway station. For details on how to reach the venue, please see the <a href="https://engine-shed.co.uk/find-us/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">find us</a> page of their website. </p><p>*Image credit: Kevin Dooley shared with permission (CC BY 2.0)</p>

<h3></h3><h3></h3><h3>F﻿urther information on this project: </h3><p>Guidance on blood borne viruses (BBVs) provided by the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has become considerably outdated – for instance, not mentioning that treatments now make most people living with HIV and many with Hepatitis completely uninfectious. Many organisations, therefore, are using safety policies unaligned to current evidence. This results in people living with BBVs frequently being expected to answer inappropriate questions and comply with unnecessary risk procedures when engaging with a range of businesses and services in their local community, which reinforces stigma and inequality.</p><p>This co-produced investigation supports community researchers with lived experience of BBVs to undertake an audit of institutional BBV policies and suggest evidence-based updates.</p><p>This pilot study has reviewed and offered updates for health and safety procedures relating to the management of BBV risk in a number of education, beauty, workplace and sporting settings, with the following objectives:</p><ol><li>Undertake a community-led audit of diverse local institutions’ health and safety documents and procedures relating to BBV transmission risk, recommending change where needed.</li><li>Devise principles for model policies that better reflect state-of-the-art evidence on risk reduction/universal precautions.</li><li>Develop an evidence base that supports national partners to lobby the UK HSE and other key stakeholders to sustain routine updates on BBV harm reduction in health and safety practice.</li></ol><p>This work helps to co-create a more equitable and prosperous future by: reducing the imposition of unwarranted and costly safety precautions; increasing social awareness about the low risk of BBV transmission in a range of organisational settings; and directly tackling discriminatory and stigmatising practices that impact on the wellbeing of people with lived experience of BBVs.</p>

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