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Government backtracks on care home face mask rules |
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Controversial guidance that suggested care home residents should wear masks when in communal areas is to be updated to say care homes “do not need to enforce” this rule, the Scottish government has said.
A letter from the Chief Nursing Officer sparked anger last week when it said residents should wear a mask, unless they are exempt, in all communal spaces.
The letter also stated they were not expected to do so within their own rooms or toilets “unless they are receiving direct care”.
Derek Barron, who is Director of Care at Erskine and sits on a Scottish government care home advisory group, said last week the new advice was “not well considered”, while Scottish Care CEO Dr Donald MacAskill said wearing a mask continuously was “inconceivable” for older people with dementia.
People in the sector have questioned the need for the intervention when outbreaks were at their lowest level for months.
Just 2% of adult care homes in Scotland had a current suspected covid-19 case, according to the latest figures, while 94% of residents have had both vaccines.
Weighing into the debate, public health expert Professor Linda Bauld said last week that the approach was overly-precautionary and “not one that could be sustained”.
Responding to the outcry, the Scottish government said the rules had “always been the case” and the guidance had not changed since it came out in October.
A spokesperson said: “We are working in partnership with the sector and will continue to work with them to alleviate any confusion this guidance may have caused.”
But a letter seen by healthandcare.scot from the Mental Wellbeing and Social Care Minister, Kevin Stewart, says that a new version of the guidance will be published “early next week”.
It states the new rules will make clear that care homes “do not need to enforce this guidance”, which is instead described as an “additional layer of protection to be encouraged”.
In the letter Mr Stewart insists the advice on residents wearing face masks has not changed but admits a ‘refresh’ of the language used led to “some confusion within the care sector”.
Read more: NHS left with less than 24hr PPE supply; Care home mask rule ‘cannot be sustained’; Anger over ‘ill-considered’ new mask rule
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