The Scottish Government, with the joint trades unions and COSLA, has announced a collective commitment to the UK-wide guidance on the use of protective personal equipment (PPE).
In particular, that guidance makes clear that social and home care workers can wear a fluid resistant face mask along with other appropriate PPE where the person they are visiting or otherwise attending to is neither confirmed nor suspected of having COVID-19, if they consider doing so necessary to their own and the individual’s safety.
North Lanarkshire Council, the North Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership and local representatives of the trades unions have met and fully endorse this position.
Social and home care workers are professionals and we trust their professional judgement.
The supply of appropriate fluid resistant face masks for these workers is available: every worker will have a supply of masks over this weekend which meets the need and, if further need is identified on an individual basis, a process is in place to deliver more masks to workers who require them. We welcome the Scottish Government’s assurances about ongoing supply of PPE.
We also recognise the efforts that social and home care workers are making during the coronavirus pandemic. Our heartfelt thanks are extended to all these workers – and others providing critical services – during these unprecedented times. They have our full support.