New regulations ensure care workers in Falkirk area get protective equipment they require

After days of negotiations UNISON Scotland, along with other unions, managed to secure an agreement from the Scottish Government home and social care workers will get the PPE they need to do the vital jobs they are doing to keep us all safe.

The Chief Nursing Officer’s letter would have seen Scottish home and social carers receive less protection than their UK counterparts and had the potential to put them and their patients at increased risk of COVID-19.

Now the Scottish Government and Chief Nursing Officer have given their commitment home and social carers can wear a fluid resistant face mask along with any other appropriate PPE they feel is necessary in carrying out their work.

Scottish Government advice says they trust the professional judgement of home and social carers in assessing the correct level of PPE required for the tasks they are undertaking.

UNISON head of local government in Scotland Johanna Baxter said: “We are pleased the Scottish Government has responded positively to the concerns UNISON raised, the four-country guidance issued on Thursday, April 2 stands and the letter from Scotland's Chief Nursing Officer, sent to COSLA on Sunday, April 5, has been withdrawn.

“We will always stand up for our members and we will always fight to protect them. It is not acceptable that home and social care workers were put through this further anxiety. Their jobs are stressful enough.”

Mark Ferguson, chairman of UNISON Scotland local goverment committee, said: “We should never have got to this position, but it has been UNISON leading on this issue and we are pleased we have now secured this resolution.

“However, we also know difficulties remain with the supply of PPE. We are continuing to raise this with the Scottish Government. “We are asking members to continue to let us know about any workplace issues by speaking to their workplace representatives or going on our website: www.UNISON-Scotland.org.”

There had been online reports of Falkirk Council care workers who were doing their jobs without necessary PPE, but the local authority stated it has been following national guidance to the letter.

A spokesperson for Falkirk health and social care partnership said: “We have always followed the national guidance issued by Health Protection Scotland in relation to the use of PPE. This guidance is evolving as COVID-19 becomes more evident within our communities.

“We continue to deliver services in extremely difficult circumstances and can assure the public all national guidance is being followed and we have sufficient supplies of PPE to ensure the safety of our staff and those we care for.”

Falkirk MP John McNally welcomed the move to give care workers the PPE their jobs require.

He said: “Having received many private messages from care workers, many of whom I have known for years, I am grateful to them for the dedication and kindness they continue to put into their job at this difficult time.

“I witnessed this unconditional care with my own mum last year. These great people give peace of mind to their clients and the ones that I know love their job. They deserve to be protected and feel safe at work.”