Latex Allergy And Healthcare Workers

EDM number 970 in 1999-00, proposed by Joan Ruddock on 12/07/2000.

That this House notes that the use of powdered latex gloves in the healthcare industry has led to chronic, and even fatal, ill health for those workers who are at risk of reaction to latex; welcomes the work of the Latex Allergy Support Group, the Royal College of Nursing and the National Association of Theatre Nurses in raising awareness of the allergy and highlighting the danger posed by this type of glove; calls upon the NHS Logistics Authority to exclude all powdered latex gloves from their next catalogue; recommends that the Medical Devices Agency publishes guidelines regarding the clear labelling of products containing natural rubber latex; urges all NHS trusts, GP practices and private and voluntary healthcare establishments to implement the latest HSE guidance on the use of latex products; and calls for consistent recognition by the Benefits Agency of latex allergy as a prescribed disease.

This motion has been signed by a total of 97 MPs.