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CONCERNS have been raised over ‘out-of-date’ face masks being used by NHS staff.
One worried frontline worker from Renfrewshire contacted The Gazette after staff were handed masks with an original expiry date of 2016.
Union officials confirmed an agreement was reached with health and safety bosses and the Scottish Government that such masks could be re-labelled and distributed to staff during the current coronavirus crisis, provided they have been tested to make sure they are still safe.
However, workers are being told to “use their professional judgement” to assess whether there is a safety risk – and contact their manager if they have concerns.
The decision to relabel face masks comes at a time when health chiefs have been trying to cope with a widespread shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) for staff in the frontline of the battle against Covid-19.
The concerned worker told how labels on face masks handed to staff stated they should be used by 2021 – but these were stuck on top of older labels that show the original expiry date was 2016.
“These are the only masks we have and they are all the same date,” said the worker, who asked to remain anonymous. “They
are designed to protect patients from staff bringing in the virus but what about protecting staff?”
Danny Phillips, of Unison, said the matter of out-of-date masks was raised with the Health and Safety Executive and Scottish Government.
He added: “It was agreed that masks could be retested and, if deemed safe, they could be relabelled and used. We have been assured they are safe but, in haste, they generally stuck another label on top of the old one and sometimes these labels have come undone and reveal the original date.”
A spokesman for the Scottish Government said it is “absolutely determined” to make sure all healthcare staff get the right PPE.
He added: “These face masks have undergone stringent quality assurance testing to ensure they remain safe to use, before being relabelled.”
A spokeswoman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: “These products are part of the UK pandemic stock and NHS Supply Chain and Public Health England have worked with manufactures and/or independent test houses to formally test certain products, to see if it is possible to extend their life via accelerated age testing.
“The products that pass these stringent tests are being relabelled and used and those which are not up to standard are being destroyed before distribution from the pandemic stock.
“Any masks distributed to our sites are safe and can continue to be used.”
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