Coronavirus (COVID-19): CMO/CNO/CSWA letter on social care settings

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Guidance for Social Care: 

1. Updated Health Protection Guidance for Social or Community Care and Residential Settings

2. Clinical Guidance for Nursing Home and Residential Care Residents

3. Guidance for Care at Home, Housing Support and Sheltered Housing

Firstly, I would like to thank you for your response in providing care and support to so many of our most vulnerable citizens in these unprecedented times.  Your commitment and dedication in providing quality care during these most difficult circumstances is greatly valued.  I am writing to provide you with an update on infection control and clinical care guidance on COVID to support the safe and effective provision of health and social care in social care settings. 

1. COVID-19: Health Protection Scotland Guidance for Social or Community Care and Residential Settings 

Health Protection Scotland has today published updated infection control guidance for Social or Community Care and Residential Settings. It is based on the National Infection Prevention & Control Manual and includes advice on how to prevent spread of all respiratory infections including COVID-19 with setting-specific information and advice. 

The updated guidance is available here:

https://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/web-resources-container/covid-19-information-and-guidance-for-social-or-community-care-residential-settings/ 

The care home sector is a vital part of the health and social care system so it is imperative that the sector continues to take admissions if it is clinically safe to do so. The updated guidance includes further advice on managing safe care home admissions and on social distancing. 

Alongside the HPS guidance, we have published two clinical care guides providing targeted clinical advice on COVID in different social care settings:

2. COVID-19: Clinical Guidance for Nursing Home and Residential Care Residents

We have updated our clinical care guidance for care homes following the additional advice from HPS on care home admissions. The guidance aims to support measures to prevent and prepare for COVID. 

3. COVID-19: Clinical Care Guidance for Care at Home, Housing Support and Sheltered Housing 

We have also published clinical guidance for the management of clients accessing care at home, housing support and sheltered housing.

The clinical guidance should be read in conjunction with infection control guidance developed by Health Protection Scotland (HPS) guidance for Social or Community Care & Residential Settings. 

We will continue to review the guidance taking account of changes in the emerging picture around COVID-19.

I hope this is useful.

 

Catherine Calderwood

Chief Medical Officer

Fiona McQueen

Chief Nursing Officer

Iona Colvin

Chief Social Work Adviser