Extended Use of Face Masks for Individuals Receiving Care

The Scottish Government has issued guidance on the extended use of face masks for individuals receiving care.

All patients should wear a mask/covering (if tolerated) when attending hospitals and primary care settings.  In addition, our staff will encourage all patients who are not exempt and can tolerate wearing a mask if they are unable to maintain 2 metres social distancing from other patients, to wear a fluid resistant surgical mask (Type IIR).  This mask will be provided to you.

Please familiarise yourself with the exemptions detailed below. 

For clarity, if you are a patient in a multi-bedded bay you are not required to wear a mask when you are in bed or on your chair, just when you are moving around the room.

We will ask you or your family member, carer or legal guardian, if you are content to wear a mask or face covering. If you do not want to, we will note this down however we will not enforce the requirement or refuse you treatment. 

What are the exemptions from wearing a mask or face covering?

• anyone who is resting, sleeping, eating, drinking, washing or exercising
• babies, toddlers and children under 5 years of age
• women in labour
• people who have a health condition or who are disabled, including hidden disabilities, for example, autism, dementia or a learning disability, or are providing care for someone with a health condition or disability, and a face covering would be inappropriate because it would cause difficulty, pain or severe distress or anxiety to the wearer or the person in the care of the wearer. This includes children with breathing difficulties and disabled children who would struggle to wear a face covering.
• anyone who needs to take medication and cannot do so whilst wearing a face covering
• anyone who is seeking medical assistance, or acting to avoid injury, illness or harm, and where wearing a face covering would make this more difficult. This also applies if someone needs emergency assistance and they don’t have a face covering with them or there is not time to put one on.
• anyone who cannot apply a covering and wear it in the proper manner safely and consistently
• a person who is communicating with someone else who relies on lip reading and facial expressions to communicate. Such people should remove the face covering only temporarily whilst communicating and replace it immediately afterwards.
• a person who is providing care or assistance to a vulnerable person and where wearing a face covering would make this more difficult. This also applies if someone needs emergency assistance and they don’t have a face covering with them or there is not time to put one on.
• police constables or emergency response workers such as paramedics acting in the course of their duty
• in a restaurant, bar or other hospitality setting, a person who is seated at a table.
• owners, managers, members of staff, or volunteers, of indoor premises where it is mandatory to wear a face covering who are physically separated, by means of, for example, partition screens, from passengers or customers or if they maintain a 2 metre distance from customers or members of the public
• a person leading an act of worship, service, ceremony or registration in a place of worship, or at a funeral, marriage ceremony or civil partnership, where there is a partition screen or a distance of 2 metres is maintained 
• when a relevant person, such as a police officer, asks you to remove your face covering

If there is a need to temporarily remove a face covering you should, where possible, maintain 2 metres distance as physical distancing is one of the most effective methods of preventing the spread of the virus and removing your face covering places others at an increased risk.

If you are exempt from wearing a face covering under the guidance and regulations, you do not have to prove your exemption.

Our priority is to treat the people we care for with dignity and respect and to be kind to one another.