Considering the switch to a latex-free glove policy to safeguard staff and patients

The need for gloves to achieve asepsis is a given in modern healthcare. However, allergy to the natural rubber latex (NRL) proteins used in their manufacture emerged as an occupational disease in the 1980s (Royal College of Physicians (RCP), 2008). Unfortunately, the powder used to increase the ease of donning only exacerbates this problem because the protein powder reacts with the latex in the glove (RCP, 2008). While lower-protein gloves are now widely used and powder-free gloves are commonplace in healthcare settings in the UK, glove use has risen exponentially to provide protection from occupational exposure to blood-borne viruses (RCP, 2008).

There is evidence that the introduction of a latex-free glove policy would not only reduce latex sensitisation (Allmers et al, 1998) among staff, but also assure clinical outcomes, improve quality of life (Power et al, 2010) and provide a cost-effective solution (Phillips et al, 1999; Henry et al, 2020). The author is a long-time user of standard latex gloves (except in cases of allergy); however, his personal experience of having evaluated a high-quality brand of latex-free gloves supports the rationale presented within this article for the consideration of a new latex-free glove policy within NHS departments and trusts.