HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE STAFF: revised Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) guidance is being issued today, Thursday, via the COVID-19 guidance pages on the Health Protection Scotland (HPS) website. The email from Chief Nursing Officer Directorate Fiona McQueen, Chief Nursing Officer Chief Medical Officer Directorate Dr Catherine Calderwood MA MRCOG FRCP(Edin), Chief Medical Officer says:
“We are writing to you to make you aware that revised Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) guidance will be issued on Thursday 2 April, via the COVID-19 guidance pages on the Health Protection Scotland (HPS) website. This guidance has been produced on a UK four nation basis, with input from Royal Colleges and expert scientific groups.
We will be writing to you again to outline the key changes to the guidance, however, ahead of publication, wanted to make you aware now that this will mean some changes to the PPE that health and social care workers across Scotland will be advised to wear in different settings and scenarios when caring for patients and residents. The updates will reflect the fact that COVID-19 is now widespread in the community, meaning health and social care workers are more likely to see patients with the virus, some of whom will not have symptoms yet.
We understand that you will have questions around what the guidance changes mean for the availability of PPE. You will be aware that new measures are being introduced to improve the distribution of PPE to health and social care staff and work continues as an absolute priority to source further PPE to ensure there is an appropriate supply for all our health and social care workforce.”