More carers hit out over PPE shortages

14 Apr 2020

Care workers who help disabled people through the Direct Payments scheme have described “harrowing and deeply concerning” shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE).

The body which represents them has attacked SNP ministers for failing to respond to repeated pleas for increased provisions.

In an open letter to health secretary Jeane Freeman, the Scottish Personal Assistant Employers Network said workers “continue to report they have little or no access to PPE”.

Chief executive Colin Millar said: “They continue to be fearful for themselves, their families and loved ones and their employees, their employees’ families and loved ones – all of whom risk their own health and welfare on a daily basis to provide key social care services to people in their own homes and who are placed at unnecessary risk of transmission of this virus due to a lack of PPE.”

It’s the latest group in the care industry who have raised concerns about supplies of protective gear.

The organisation represents around 2000 vulnerable people who choose to use the Direct Payments set-up, or one like it, to employ their own carers.

Scottish Conservative leader Jackson Carlaw said:

“This is another arm of Scotland’s care industry which feels like it has been completely overlooked.

“These are extremely vulnerable people who are being cared for by professionals putting their own safety at risk every time they go into a service user’s home.

“Both the patients and the workers who help them deserve to be protected.

“It’s extremely disappointing that the SNP government appears to have ignored these calls, and that it’s taken such a desperate plea from the organisation to bring in some kind of change.

“We know how vulnerable these people are and how pressing a situation it is – the Scottish Government must sort it out now.”