Care Staff, Testing and Covid-19

Back in March 2020 when Covid-19 cases started going through the roof Home Carers in Glasgow had to fight tooth and nail to get proper personal protective equipment (PPE).

For weeks the Scottish Government insisted that frontline care staff had no need to wear face masks, for example, even though the safety issues for Home Carers and their vulnerable clients were obvious for all to see - how would staff know in advance if a client had Covid-19, or if a client was infectious but showed no symptoms?

I think it's also fair to say that Glasgow City Council was regarded as pretty hopeless at standing up to the Scottish Government on behalf of their Home Care employees and the council's service users. 

All these months later Home Carers are being told that routine testing of all frontline care staff will not be rolled out until next year, perhaps as late as March 2021 - even though this extension of regular testing of Scotland's Home Carers was agreed by the Scottish Parliament earlier in November 2020.

All things considered the Scottish Government's Covid testing regime has turned out to be a terrible shambles, lurching from one crisis to another.

Initially Scotland's care homes were 'thrown under the bus' and have been struggling to get their tests results back, speedily and reliably, since August 2020. 

Now the same kind of problems seem to be affecting Home Carers and their clients which after all these months is very disappointing and dispiriting to say the least.  

  

Better Safe Than Sorry (09/04//20)

The Scottish Government's official advice to Home Care staff is to wear a face mask only if a client is suspected to be, or is confirmed to be, Covid-19 positive. 

The official advice goes on to say:

"Where the person is neither suspected to be, nor confirmed as COVID positive, care at home staff carrying out personal care should wear what they have always worn – that is, an apron and gloves; and no mask.

"This applies regardless of the 2m distance. The same would apply to a community nurse visiting the same client: they too would wear gloves and apron, and no mask.

"Furthermore, home care workers and community staff going into people’s houses should only wear a mask when they suspect the person has COVID, and they cannot keep a 2m distance.

"If this is not suspected – or if they can keep a 2m distance – then they do not need to wear a mask."

What puzzles me is how individual carers are supposed to know the state of every client's health before going into their homes - and how is it even possible for Home Carers to keep 2 metres distance from vulnerable clients whom they are helping to keep out of hospital?   

So why not put everyone's safety first - the safety of both the carers and their clients - by ensuring that the official advice is changed and that face masks are worn until further notice, as a matter of course.

After all these are very scary and unprecedented times and if the carers feel safer - their clients are bound to feel the benefit as well.

  

https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/18361679.glasgow-home-care-service-accused-not-using-ppe/?

Glasgow home care service Cordia accused of not providing PPE for care workers

By Catherine Hunter - Evening Times


A GLASGOW care service has disputed claims that staff are not being provided with protective equipment as they carry out home visits to vulnerable people.

Cordia, which is delivered by the City Council under the management of Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership has been accused of not providing enough PPE (personal protective equipment) by worried Glaswegians.

Some members of the public say they have spotted staff going into homes without adequate PPE.

One concerned constituent, who doesn’t want to be identified, said: “I have a family member who works as a carer for Cordia.

“She was promised she would have protective equipment supplied as she has to care for elderly patients which also means going into their house.

“She has not been provided with a mask, gloves, hand sanitizer and was given only three aprons. She works seven days on and seven days off.

“How are three aprons going to last? She is in her mid-50s and is at an increased risk because of this.

“Cordia and putting the lives of their carer staff at risk as they are not providing the necessary equipment. I am extremely worried for my family member.”

Glasgow’s Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) has confirmed that they are following all the guidelines issues by Public Health Scotland by providing enough equipment.

No member of staff should be working without the protection that is appropriate for their role.

A spokesman said: "Glasgow HSCP is following guidelines issued by Public Health Scotland in providing staff with the appropriate PPE equipment required to safely carry out their duties in the community.

"There is currently sufficient supply of PPE so that no member of HSCP staff should be working without the protection that is appropriate for their role.