COVID-19 guidelines for nurses: where was the evidence base?

An independent investigation reveals guidelines issued for healthcare staff did not keep up with emerging evidence, leaving front-line nurses inadequately protected

In January 2021 we were commissioned by the RCN to examine the evidence underpinning the UK recommendations to prevent and control the spread of COVID-19.

This was in response to concerns raised by RCN members about the quality and comprehensiveness of the guidelines.

Early decisions were based on rapidly generated literature reviews

We established that the guidelines provided by what was then Public Health England (now the UK Health Security Agency) were based on a series of rapidly generated literature reviews updated and released at monthly intervals throughout the pandemic.