I was sacked after raising alarm over dish cloth masks
A YOUNG nursing home worker was sacked after she told her mum she was worried about using masks that had been made out of disposable dish cloths.
Keisha Chase, 18, was informed her “integrity” had been called into question after she raised fears about the makeshift PPE with her family.
She claimed bosses at Belsfield Care, in her hometown Blackpool, introduced re-usable J Cloths – which are normally used in household cleaning – to be worn as face masks.
Keisha said: “I care about my health and I care about the health of the residents.
“We are risking our lives and we should be wearing the right PPE.”
Keisha claimed she became so worried about her health and safety her mother gave her a visor and mask to use at work, but bosses told her she was not allowed to wear them.
She lost her job after her mum posted her concerns on Facebook.
When nursing home staff became aware of the online comments, the teenager was carpeted by managers.
Within hours she received a letter telling her she had been sacked for a “breach of confidentiality” and “gross misconduct”.
And she was informed she would not be paid any notice or wages.
The letter stated:
“Further to our discussion 16th April 2020 to discuss the issue of Facebook messages being published by your family members, based on the information you had given them, and admitted to giving them, I am of the opinion this is a breach of confidentiality and against the terms of your employment with Belsfield Care.
“I consider your actions of discussing matters relating to the care home where you work, outside of the care home, to be gross misconduct, resulting in the company losing faith in your integrity in your role of carer.
“As you are within your six month probationary period I have decided to summarily dismiss you without notice of pay, from today’s date.
“You have the right to appeal against your dismissal.”
When contacted by the Sunday People a spokesman for Belsfield Care said the company had blocked the use of Keisha’s visor to prevent cross-contamination.
They added Belsfield Care – which runs four care homes in the area – was adhering to Public Health England Guidance on personal protective equipment.
The guidance states that “appropriate PPE” should be worn if a “health or social care worker assesses that an individual is symptomatic”.
The spokesman added that Keisha had been dismissed because she had not raised her concerns through the “proper channels”.