Implementation of Department of Health guidelines for hepatitis B vaccination: a regional audit of NHS occupational health policies and procedures

The objective of this study was to assess the implementation of the UK Health Departments' guidelines on protecting healthcare workers and patients from hepatitis B infection. The survey took place in February 1994 in the form of a postal questionnaire survey of occupational health departments. The study frame was the 18 district-based occupational health departments in the northern region of the NHS. The main outcome measures were compliance with the national guidelines on vaccination and the assessment of the hepatitis B status of employees performing exposure prone procedures. Compliance with the guidelines was variable. There were marked variations in the interpretation of serological data and there was a failure to establish the hepatitis B status of surgeons, in some cases. There is a need to provide training for occupational health practitioners about hepatitis B and to ensure that there is a uniform standard of practice within the NHS.