According to UK wide consensus (published by UKHSA), a HCID:

• is an acute infectious disease
• typically has high case-fatality rate
• may not have effective prophylaxis or treatment
• is often difficult to recognise and detect rapidly
• has the ability to spread in the community and within healthcare settings
• requires an enhanced individual, population, and system response to ensure it is managed effectively, efficiently, and safely. 

The current list of HCIDs agreed by the UK 4 nations public health agencies, with advisory committee input as required is available.

The two types of UK HCID PPE ensemble used in the UK are:

• The HCID assessment PPE ensemble. This is the agreed unified UK PPE ensemble, which will be discussed in the sections below. It is worn by staff in NHSScotland to assess and provide clinical care to potential cases where HCID (associated with a pathogen of any transmission route) is suspected and may subsequently be confirmed prior to transfer to an HCID treatment centre in NHS England.
• The HCID treatment PPE ensemble. This is the ensemble worn for continued care of confirmed HCID cases within specialist treatment centres. There are currently none of these centres in Scotland.

The PPE ensemble described throughout this guidance is the ‘HCID assessment PPE ensemble’.

The healthcare worker roles described in this addendum are as follows:

• HCID caregiver or caregivers. This refers to the healthcare workers who will deliver direct care to a suspected or confirmed HCID case.
• Buddy. This refers to the healthcare worker who supports the HCID caregiver or givers during donning and doffing.