PPE for care workers is ‘greatly’ improved

PPE availability for care workers has “greatly improved” but GPS will now only visit care homes if there is a clinical need, according to Scottish

Care and the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP).

In a joint statement, leaders of the two bodies said that GPS are increasingly giving advice and assessments over the phone or by video calls and only attending care homes if necessary.

However, following a joint warning alongside the Royal College of Nursing about the “urgent need” for more personal protective equipment (PPE) for social care workers, they said the situation has improved since last week.

In the statement, Dr Carey Lunan, chair of RCGP Scotland, and Donald Macaskill, CEO of Scottish Care, said:

“We recognise that the Covid-19 pandemic is an incredibly worrying time for care home residents and their families, and also for care home staff who continue to provide exceptional care.

“GPS will continue to deliver the same high level of care and support that they have always provided to their patients in care homes.

“GPS have had to rapidly adapt the way that they deliver clinical care in the last few weeks, with much more advice and assessment being done over the telephone or by video consulting.

“The safety of care home residents is very important to GPS and, for that reason, they would only visit in person where there is a clinical need to do so.

“If a face to face visit is needed, they will wear the appropriate PPE to protect staff and residents.

“We wrote jointly on this issue last week, to the Cabinet Secretary to highlight the urgent need for appropriate levels of PPE for all community health and social care staff. We are pleased to say that this situation has since greatly improved.”