Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for PAs

The latest Scottish Government advice for those working in social care (including Personal Assistants) is published here: https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-adult-social-care-guidance/

How to get Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

If the routes you normally use to access PPE are unavailable, contact the Social Care PPE Support Centre on 0300 303 3020 and they can provide you with information about where to access PPE locally. This will usually be through a Hub that has been set up in your area.

The team will take you through a series of questions to understand your needs. When you go to collect the PPE from the Hub, or have it delivered to you, you will need to have a document which says you are a personal assistant. This could take the form of the template document used as proof of key worker status (for movement and for shopping, etc).

If you need a document to use as proof of key worker status, there are a number of different ways you can get one. You can contact:

The Personal Assistant Network Scotland, who provide ID badges for PAs
Your employer
Your local independent support organisation (see the SDS Scotland website ‘Find Help’ tool)
Your local authority/Health and Social Care Partnership

You can also download the template letter from the bottom of this page and ask your employer to sign it.

Advice for PAs living in the same household as the person they support

Wear any PPE such as aprons or gloves as you normally would depending on the type of care you provide. No additional PPE for COVID-19 is required unless you or the person you support is symptomatic of COVID-19 however, face coverings should be worn in line with SG advice.

My PA Employer has COVID-19 or symptoms of COVID-19

Contact your local Social Work department to make alternative care arrangements. You should not provide direct care if the person you care for develops symptoms of suspected COVID-19 or if they are confirmed positive for COVID-19. You should seek to make alternative arrangements for care.

You (the PA) have COVID-19 or symptoms of COVID-19

If you have developed symptoms of COVID-19 and the person you support has no symptoms, you should not provide direct care and seek to make alternative arrangements to support your employer. You can contact your local Social Work department to make alternative care arrangements.

If the person you care for also has COVID-19 or symptoms of COVID-19, you can continue to provide care as long as you feel well enough to do so OR where you are unable to make alternative care arrangements you must:

Wear any PPE such as aprons or gloves as you normally would depending on the type of support you provide
You should also wear a face mask for the period of time you are providing care for your employer
After you have provided care directly to the individual, you should remove the face mask (and any PPE) and maintain a distance of 2 metres or more
Your face mask should be replaced if it becomes damaged, soiled or uncomfortable

When removed, place PPE in a disposable bag and then a secondary disposable bag. It should be tied and held for 72 hours before being placed in the outside household waste bin for collection. Ensure you perform hand hygiene after removal and disposal of PPE.

Wearing PPE will not remove the risk completely of either becoming infected with COVID-19 but it will reduce the risk considerably.

Advice for PAs who do not live in the same household as the person they support

At all of the protection levels, you can still go into another household to provide care and support for a vulnerable person. This can include providing emotional support for someone whose wellbeing is at risk, including for those who are isolated because of disability or a caring situation.

Wear any PPE such as aprons or gloves as you normally would depending on the type of care you provide.

You should wear a face covering if you cannot maintain physical distancing while providing support. No additional PPE for COVID-19 is required unless either you or the person you care for are symptomatic of COVID-19.