Question reference: S5W-28000
- Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 18 March 2020
-
Current status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 27 June 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what additional protections and support will be given to (a) optometrists, (b) dentists and (c) other non-NHS frontline healthcare staff who do not have the same protections as NHS staff working in hospitals and surgeries.
Answer
To control and reduce the transmission of COVID-19, routine eye and dental care services were suspended on 23 March 2020. Since then the Scottish Government has provided financial support to enable optometrists and dentists to safely manage most patients remotely.
Where face-to-face care is required, appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) has been provided through NHS supply channels to community pharmacy practices, Emergency Eyecare Treatment Centres and urgent dental care centres during Lockdown and Phase 1. PPE has also been provided to community optometry practices and dental practices in advance of them resuming face-to-face emergency and essential eye care and urgent dental care (non-aerosol generating procedures) from 22 June and 29 June 2020 respectively.