Isolating staff at Nottinghamshire Police are told to go to work despite NHS Test and Trace telling them to self-isolate

Nottinghamshire Police personnel have questioned the right the organisation has to enforce the law on coronavirus when staff who were self-isolating were told to return to work.

Around 50 staff in the control room were told to self-isolate by the NHS Test and Trace app, but are now required to be in work and were told in a force intranet message to turn the app off while there.

It comes on the eve of the county emerging from harsh Tier 3 restrictions into a national lockdown and as fines are issued to shopkeepers who knowingly go into work after testing positive for covid and students are fined for attending illegal gatherings.

The NHS website says you must self-isolate if told to by NHS Test and Trace or the NHS covid-19 app.

However, the force said it had sought the advice of Public Health England before issuing the instruction.

“We’re just so angry,” said one police source.

“Talk about setting the standards.

"How can the force uphold the law, how can it be trusted, if it isn't following the guidelines itself?"

“Colleagues have been told to return to work and turn the blue tooth off on their mobile phones.

“The bosses have clearly decided to ignore the Test and Trace app instructions. They’re saying it’s advisable and not mandatory.

“We’re all upset, enraged.”

Another said: “I rang NHS Test and Trace and they stated we had to self-isolate as it’s the law.

“Some staff have already been recalled. What if they have covid?

“They’re ringing people at home and if they’re not coughing and spluttering, they’re told to return to work.

“We’re all worried for our families, our colleagues and the public we encounter.

“How do they know whether we’re being asked to self-isolate because of a work-based contact or something from outside?

“Some of my colleagues who are being forced to return to work have vulnerable parents that they care for. They’re worried about losing their loved ones.

“We’re also worried we could be faced with a fine of £1,000 for ignoring the instructions."

Nottinghamshire Police said: “We take the health and well-being of our staff incredibly seriously.

“Over the weekend there were reports of issues with the Track and Trace app and its algorithm in particular in relation to distance, where it was being activated at five times the expected social distancing limit of two metres.

“As a result of this nearly a quarter of our 999 emergency call handlers who all work in a two-metre secure covid environment over split sites, then had a notification from the Track and Trace app.

“Clearly this was an unintended consequence; so we have taken advice from Public Health England and consulted our staff associations.

“On Public Health England advice we have also conducted an individual risk assessment with each call taker who has been affected over the weekend to ensure individuals are correctly self-isolating and safe.”