Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will issue guidance to private social care providers to enable them to assist with the timely distribution of personal protective equipment to care homes.
Public Health England have issued guidance on the appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE), including to the care sector, to help social care providers respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. This guidance explains when PPE is required and can therefore support decisions around distribution of PPE. Guidance published include:
Infection prevention and control:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-infection-prevention-and-control
How to work safely in care homes, and a video on putting on and removing PPE in care homes:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-how-to-work-safely-in-care-homes
The Government has also outlined a detailed PPE plan and an Adult Social Care Action Plan at the following links:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-adult-social-care-action-plan