Withdrawal of the 'Coronavirus (COVID-19): use of face coverings in social care settings including adult care homes' guidance: Equality Impact Assessment

Who will it affect?

This guidance was for staff, visitors and those receiving care and support in adult social care settings. Changes would therefore affect all of those groups.

Those receiving care and support in adult social care settings were disproportionately affected by this guidance as the settings to which it pertained were often their homes (either their own private home or a care home), and most users of adult social care would not leave these settings, unlike staff and visitors.

Two of the protected characteristics were also disproportionately represented: Age and Disability. Social care users are more likely to be older and have a disability. For example, the mean age of adult care home residents is 81 and an estimated 62% have dementia^[1].

In terms of COVID-19, older adults are sadly more likely to die from COVID-19, and those with cognitive impairment are more likely to be adversely impacted from negative impacts of face mask use, including increased distress, and communication and relationship-building difficulties^[2].

Other protected characteristics were also considered. The adult social care workforce is overwhelmingly female (83%). In common with the wider Scottish population, 4% identified as from an ethnic minority, while 2% report having a disability^[3].