Lynda McEwan

Trade unions in Scotland have forced an emergency meeting with the Scottish government’s health minister Jean Freeman to discuss the negligent lack of PPE (personal protective equipment) for all essential health and social care workers across Scotland. 

This meeting comes on the back of clear guidance issued from Health Protection Scotland less than a week ago and Unison advice that all workers in care settings should have access to single use masks for every client they treat. 

Medical professionals and care workers have written letters to the Scottish government expressing their distress at the inadequacy of PPE provided for them. Signed by more than 100 medics who are risking their lives during the Covid crisis, they call for the government to issue them with proper N95 masks which they argue could easily be made within Scotland. 

Care workers, through a letter issued by the GMB union, tell of how unsafe they feel at work without access to proper PPE, adding the lack of mass testing is putting both themselves and their clients at greater risk. 

This followed wrong advice given by Scotland’s Chief Nursing Officer, Fiona McQueen which has now been withdrawn but adds to the confusion and concern from workers. 

When asked about testing of care workers, Nicola Sturgeon couldn’t give figures, showing that this hasn’t been made a priority. The trade unions should insist this is urgently addressed.

The Scottish government say that six million pieces of PPE have been delivered to a thousand locations. But it’s clear that not enough or of sufficient quality is getting to the frontline. Workers feel under pressure to visit multiple clients with equipment being provided that is poor and, in some cases, out of date, increasing the risk of infection. 

Doctor Hanif spoke to the BBC Good Morning Scotland radio programme, saying “the masks that are being issued are fluid resistant surgical masks which stop wearers transmitting an in infection but what about the opposite effect, how can they stop the wearer becoming infected with coronavirus. There is also a generalised shortage of eye protection, visors and goggles.” 

Care homes deaths

With eleven residents dying within ten days in a care home in West Dunbartonshire, and 15 deaths at a care home in Glasgow, workers’ fears have unfortunately been compounded. 

The Scottish government say that they take the safety of workers seriously, however an STUC study carried out two weeks ago showed 40% of council care workers didn’t have the correct PPE and felt unsafe at work.

After another care worker, Catherine Sweeney, died at the weekend, this statement feels hollow and will do little to allay the fears of these frontline workers. 

Castleview Care home in Dumbarton, where the tragic deaths were recorded, have been accused by GMB Scotland of locking masks away from staff and bullying them when they’ve attempted to take resident’s temperatures. 

The home, privately run by HC One, highlights the urgent need to nationalise this industry. By bringing care homes back under public ownership or council control, profit seeking methods would be replaced by democratic workers’ control. 

Industry which produces masks and other protective equipment should also be nationalised, meaning wide scale production could be quickly undertaken and distributed to all workers. 

The trade unions have rightly said they will back all care workers who refuse to make home visits, however the burden shouldn’t fall on individual workers. The trade unions may have to prepare for strike action if their demands for adequate PPE are not met. 

PPE in short supply

By a Scottish care home nurse

There have been at least 20 deaths accredited to Covid-19 in Scottish care homes and we are weeks away from the so called peak of this infection. 

These tragedies point to an appalling loss of life as the summer unfolds. Yet it doesn’t have to be this way. PPE, the essential part of all safe care and practice, is in short supply and needs to be released to the care home sector as a matter of urgency, today. 

The Scottish government is relying on a supply chain that does not function in this emergency. 

We need PPE to help us care for people and safeguard our own lives. PPE without staff is also ineffective.

There is no provision for testing of care home residents suspected of having Coronavirus, so staff are ignorant of the level of infection they will be exposed to even if they have the right quantity of PPE. 

Results from CV testing can be given in less than six hours. The absence of testing effects all outcomes. Residents on end of life pathways endure agony in their last days. Relatives cannot say goodbye, staff are exposed to extreme risk. It seems a forgotten service will be ignored again unless urgent action is taken.