Questions and answers

Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for ��˿�� to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S5W-32275

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 30 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding the World Health Organization's position on the use of surgical type two face masks when dealing with COVID-19.

1 The evidence to date indicates the route of transmission for COVID-19 to be droplet and contact and both the UK and WHO guidance recommends droplet and contact precautions. In the UK, this includes the use of a fluid resistant surgical face mask (FRSM). This aligns with the WHO guidance.

2 Where Aerosol Generating Procedures (AGPs) are carried out, both the UK and WHO guidance recommends airborne precautions. This is because during AGPs, aerosols as well as droplets can be produced. Airborne precautions include the use of respiratory protective equipment (RPE), including an FFP respirator, full face shield/eye protection, a gown, apron and disposable gloves to protect against aerosols and excess splash/spraying of body fluids. Airborne precautions would also apply in any other setting COVID or non-COVID if an AGP was being undertaken.

3 A scientific brief published by the WHO on 9th July 2020 recommends continuous use of a medical mask by health workers and caregivers working in all clinical areas, during all routine activities throughout the entire shift. Scottish Government guidance on the extended use of face masks in healthcare settings and elderly care homes, published on 23 June, and updated on 18 September to include primary, community, care at home and adult care home settings, recommends FRSM Type IIR, as opposed to Type II facemasks, as they offer protection for the wearer, as well as source control.

Question reference: S5W-32278

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 30 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding how many PPE products have been withdrawn from use since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak due to safety issues after they had been used by NHS staff, broken down by the (a) type of product and (b) specific safety issue.

Since the beginning of March 2020, National Services Scotland National Procurement has issued six alerts to Health Boards requiring PPE to be withdrawn from use. In one case, additional testing proved the product fit for use, in the other five cases, products were permanently withdrawn.

Details are as follows:

1. An alert was issued in March 2020 for FFP3 respirator masks from Cardinal/Medline that had failed revalidation testing. 23,500 of these had been shipped to Health Boards, who were instructed to dispose of the masks locally.

2. An alert was issued in May 2020 for Goggles from Tiger Eye that had failed splash testing required for Covid-19 response. These masks had been in use for years, but were no longer suitable for the current situation. Health Boards disposed of these items locally.

3. An alert was issued in June 2020 for type IIR masks from Cardinal Health that were found to be at risk of mask deterioration. 6 million of these masks had been shipped to Health Boards, who were instructed to dispose of masks locally.

4. An alert was issued in August 2020 for type IIR masks from Continuum and were withdrawn from use. However, further testing showed that they were fit for use and the quarantine on these masks was lifted, allowing them to be placed back into circulation.

5. An alert was issued in September 2020 regarding one batch of testing swabs from Supply Chain Coordination Ltd due to reports of swabs unravelling and leaving a small piece of the swab in patients’ nasal passages. Health Boards are disposing of these items locally.

6. A recall was issued in October 2020 for FFP3 respirator masks from Alpha Solway that were found to have the wrong wire used in the nose clip. 87,000 masks have been recalled, but fewer than 10% of these are estimated to be faulty. Masks are being recalled to the vendor.

Question reference: S5F-04478

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 26 October 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 October 2020

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S5W-32260

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 23 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what concerns have been raised with Ministers by (a) health professionals and (b) trade unions regarding the surgical type two face masks being used by staff, and what action it has taken to rectify any problems.

1. In Scotland, we use Fluid Resistant Surgical Masks (FRSM), also known as Type IIR masks, which are different from Type II in that they provide protection for the staff member as well as 98% source control.

2. Staff are protected should they be caring for someone who is infectious but not wearing a mask and they are also protecting the person they are looking for if they themselves are isolating either pre or asymptomatically.

3. We are the only nation in the UK who have taken the approach in using FRSMs as part of the extended facemask use guidance for health and social care staff.

4. The Scottish Government holds a regular forum with a range of stakeholders including staff side representation which provides an opportunity for any issues with regard to PPE to be raised. In addition we also respond directly to correspondence received from both individuals and organisations.

Question reference: S5W-32281

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 23 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what the absence rate has been for NHS staff who have been wearing (a) a surgical type two, (b) an FFP2 and (c) FFP3 face mask when treating people with COVID-19.

The Scottish Government has collected, monitored and published data on NHS staff absences since the outbreak of this pandemic. Data is continually collated from Health Boards on overall absences in the NHS workforce, as well as on the number and rate of absences associated with Covid-19. Covid-19-related absences are recorded on staff displaying symptoms, self-isolating, confirmed to have Covid-19, Covid-19-related caring responsibilities and those contacted by tracers and told to isolate for 14 days.

For the week 30 September – 6 October 2020, a daily average of 1.0% of the workforce were recorded absent for reasons related to Covid-19. The rate of Covid-19 related absence has been steady and decreasing in recent months, with a rate below 2% since late July and below 4% since early May. We will continue to pay close attention to staff absence data in the coming months.

This data does not include whether NHS staff have been wearing (a) a surgical type two, (b) FFP2 and (c) FFP3 face masks when treating people with Covid-19.

Question reference: S5W-32264

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 23 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of surgical type two face masks not being sealed respirator masks, on what basis these have been directed to be distributed as PPE for nurses to wear when treating diagnosed or suspected COVID-19 patients in isolated rooms.

COVID-19 is predominantly spread by the droplet and contact route. Fluid Resistant (Type IIR) Surgical Mask (FRSM) offer the correct level of respiratory protection for staff when caring for a patient who is suspected or confirmed COVID-19 positive.

In Scotland, we use Fluid Resistant Surgical Masks (FRSM), also known as Type IIR masks, which are different from Type II in that they provide protection for the staff member as well as 98% source control.

We are the only nation in the UK who have taken the approach in using FRSMs as part of the extended facemask use guidance for health and social care staff.

The Scottish Government holds a regular forum with a range of stakeholders including staff side representation which provides an opportunity for any issues with regard to PPE to be raised. In addition we also respond directly to correspondence received from both individuals and organisations.

Question reference: S5W-32262

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 23 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether a surgical type two face mask protects the wearer from breathing in infected droplets/aerosols or pathogens in the air.

1. In Scotland, all health and social care staff involved in direct patient/client care are required to wear a Fluid Resistant (Type IIR) Surgical Mask (FRSM) throughout their shift. This includes both care homes and care at home.

2. COVID-19 is primarily transmitted through droplets and only aerosolised during certain procedures called aerosol generating procedures (AGPs). When staff are dealing with patients who are either suspected, positive or where their status is not known (person not tested) staff engaged in AGPs must wear a single-use fluid filtering face piece (FFP3) mask, long-sleeved gown, gloves and a visor in line with the UK IPC Remobilisation Guidance.

Question reference: S5W-32265

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 23 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what type of face masks are provided for healthcare workers who are testing patients for COVID-19.

Question reference: S5W-32277

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 23 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding how many PPE items have had their expiry date changed since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, broken down by the (a) type of product and (b) (i) original and (ii) revised expiry date.

Details are as follows:

Product	Manufacturer	Original expiry date	Revised expiry date	Approx. Quantity
FFP3 respirators	3M	2016	March 2021	1,772,189
FFP3 respirators	Alpha Solway	2012	March 2021	106,776

Source: NHS NSS

Two groups of FFP3 respirators have been tested and revalidated as part of UK-wide laboratory testing, organised by the Department for Health and Social Care. In March 2020, tests show the FFP3 respirators in question still complied with the EN149 standard, which is endorsed by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), the British Medical Association (BMA) and the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and Faculties Scotland.

Revalidating stock and thereby extending the shelf-life of masks is standard practice to ensure supply of critical equipment to front line staff during crises. All revalidated PPE is required to meet the same standards and subjected to the same tests as equipment that is being tested for the first time.

Question reference: S5W-32273

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 23 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance has been issued to NHS boards regarding the laundering of uniforms that may have been exposed to COVID-19, and what steps have been taken to ensure that staff are not expected to take potentially-infected items home for laundering.

Health Protection Scotland (HPS) has published guidance on infection control, and this has been included in our . This will continue to be kept under review and necessary changes may be made dependent on new evidence.

Health Facilities Scotland has advised that NHS laundry services have enough capacity to meet current demands. This situation is being monitored and planning has been done to ensure capacity can be increased if needed.