Question reference: S5W-28613
- Asked by: Joan McAlpine, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 21 April 2020
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Current status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 8 June 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what evaluation it has made of the ability of care workers to wear protective masks on the basis of self-assessed risk if this is not supported by their line managers.
Answer
We have not specifically evaluated this. I expect all employers to support their staff to follow the updated PPE guidance that was published on 2 April 2020, which includes the ability for staff to do an individual risk assessment of whether PPE is needed when they are providing direct care to someone who isn’t a possible or confirmed COVID-19 case.
I would also expect both public and private social care providers to ensure that all care workers are empowered and enabled to wear a mask alongside other PPE if they feel this is necessary, as was stated in the joint statement I made on 9 April with COSLA and the Trades Unions. The statement emphasises that social care workers can wear a Fluid-Resistant Surgical 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.
If an employer disagrees with a care worker’s risk assessment, I would expect them to provide a clear explanation for this to the worker, and discuss this further with them.
Ultimately, the guidance states that where staff consider there is a risk to themselves or the individuals they are caring for they should wear a fluid repellent surgical mask with or without eye protection, as determined by the individual staff member for the episode of care or single session.