Coronavirus: New safety guidance for health and social care staff
New guidance on appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for health and social care workers responding to Covid-19 has been issued by officials.
It follows an urgent review of current protocols, in light of the latest evidence and advice from the World Health Organisation (WHO). The guidance states what PPE should be used in different care settings, from the community to hospitals. It also includes risk assessment advice for different care settings. The Scottish government's health secretary said protecting staff was an "absolute priority". Jeane Freeman outlined the new guidance on Thursday, saying millions of PPE items have been delivered to far. In some situations, PPE will be able to be worn for "full sessions" and not changed after each patient. Posters and online videos specifying what PPE should be worn and how it is put on will be sent to the relevant workers. Unpaid carers who look after vulnerable family members will be able to access the appropriate PPE, she said. Jeane Freeman added that updated guidance would provide "clarity so that health and social care staff caring for patients feel confident in which PPE they need to wear in different situations and settings". The guidance, agreed among the UK's four chief medical officers, also gives detailed advice on how staff should risk assess the use of PPE in different scenarios, including in community settings like care homes and caring for people at home. Scotland's Chief Medical Officer Dr Catherine Calderwood said the updates "reflect the fact that Covid-19 is now widespread in the community", adding that health and social care workers as a result "are now more likely to see patients with the virus, some of whom will not have symptoms yet". Dr Calderwood added: "We have introduced new measures to improve the distribution of PPE, including a single point of contact for all health boards to manage local PPE supply and distribution, and an email address for NHS staff to contact if they do not have what they need." She added that there was now more being done to help registered social care providers access PPE. "Work continues to source further PPE and ensure there is an appropriate supply for all our workforce,"she added.