Care homes say they have been blindsided by new Scottish government guidance stating residents should wear face masks in communal areas.

Derek Barron, who is Director of Care at Erskine and sits on a Scottish government care home advisory group, says the new advice had come as a “surprise” and was “not well considered”.

On twitter, Scottish Care CEO Dr Donald MacAskill said wearing a mask continuously was “inconceivable” for older people with dementia.

In a statement released late on Wednesday, the Scottish government admitted the guidance had caused “confusion” and said masks should only be used where a resident “can tolerate” it.    

“From the outset of the pandemic we’ve been saying these are residents’ homes,” Derek Barron told healthandcare.scot.

“Nobody else in society is being asked to wear a mask in their own home, so why are our own residents being asked to wear a mask?

“I’d like to see the evidence for that after 16 months where 95% or more – in fact in Erskine 99% – of residents have had both vaccines, our staff are wearing masks, our visitors are wearing masks, and we’re doing testing three times a week?

“Why is there a sudden need for residents to wear a mask? It’s not well considered.”

Professor Amanda Croft, the Chief Nursing Officer, wrote to the NHS and care bodies yesterday to say that guidance on face coverings in hospitals, primary care, wider community care and adult care homes had been revised.

Government experts had attached “particular importance” to covid-19 transfers in hospitals and adult care homes, the letter states.

Guidance was strengthened to say that all staff in hospitals, including in non-clinical areas, should wear fluid resistant surgical masks, which should also be “made available to and worn by” patients”.

For care homes, the document says residents should wear a mask, unless they are exempt, in all communal spaces.

They are not expected to do so within their own rooms or toilets “unless they are receiving direct care”.

The care providers’ organisation Scottish Care told healthandcare.scot it was aware of concerns and had been assured that the Scottish government would be clarifying the update today. 

A spokesperson said: “Scottish Care argues that a care home is not a clinical setting, but a home to all the residents there. Residents, especially those with dementia and other conditions, need to be sensitively supported as the constant wearing of face coverings can cause a considerable amount of distress.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Masks are not required in a residents’ own living space or when they are physically distanced from others. If a resident is not able to wear a mask they will not be required to wear one – this has always been the case in care home settings.

“A mask should only be used where a resident can tolerate wearing a mask when receiving direct, close personal care where it is not possible to keep a 2 metre distance and will not impact on the provision of care, and when residents in communal areas cannot be physically distant from others.”

“We are working in partnership with the sector and will continue to work with them to alleviate any confusion this guidance may have caused.”

 

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