Nurses’ Covid fear ‘dismissed’

The Scottish Government “dismissed” concerns about the airborne transmission of Covid during the pandemic, an inquiry has heard.

Colin Poolman, director of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in Scotland, also paid tribute at the Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry to the “ultimate sacrifice” made by health workers who lost their lives in the pandemic.

He told the inquiry that attempts were made from 2020 by the RCN to raise concerns about airborne transmission with the Scottish Government, due to considerations about personal protective equipment (PPE) and ventilation.

The virus was eventually deemed to be airborne by the World Health Organisation (WHO), however Mr Poolman said the Scottish Government “did not respond” to concerns and they were “dismissed in favour of droplet transmission”, despite evidence.

Mr Poolman told the inquiry: “That remains an area of dispute between ourselves and the Scottish Government.”

Senior figures from the RCN told the inquiry the “inadequacy of PPE was staggering”, but alleged an email sent by the chief executive of one NHS health board declared it was “impossible” for medics to get Covid at work due to PPE.

The RCN had called for FF3 masks to be used to protect against airborne risks, and presented a specialist report to the Scottish Government in February 2021 which was “critical” of the guidance at the time, the inquiry heard.

Mr Poolman said he felt “vindicated” when the WHO deemed the virus to be airborne.

He said the RCN is currently dealing with 35 personal injury claims related to long Covid as well as being contacted for support from nurses who face losing their jobs due to the illness, and he called for the nursing profession to be included in pandemic planning in future.

“The inadequacy of PPE was staggering. Members of staff used to reuse PPE that wasn’t designed to be reused,” he added.

The inquiry heard that pre-pandemic, there were 6,000 nursing vacancies and many staff were drafted into new areas during the crisis and given masks which failed a “fit test”.

ART WITH A HEART: A Covid remembrance tree at Forth Valley Royal Hospital, which was cited as an example of good practice regarding PPE during the pandemic.