PRIVATE care homes put staff and residents at risk during the pandemic because many refused to work with trade unions, a senior union organiser will tell the Scottish Covid-19 inquiry on Tuesday.
Paul Arkison, GMB Scotland senior organiser, is expected to tell the inquiry that many care homes were reluctant to listen to staff concerns about the quality and supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) due to poor relations with unions.
He will also say that staff were pressured to go to work despite displaying Covid-19 symptoms and had concerns over the lack of testing ignored. In a statement given ahead of his appearance at the inquiry, Arkison said: “We found it difficult dealing with the private care sector, possibly because of the relationship we had with those employers before lockdown.
“As we entered the pandemic, we needed real assistance and input from these companies, which, in my opinion, was not there.
READ MORE: UK Covid Inquiry leaves Scotland with 'no voice' - campaigners
“These companies needed to be challenged all the way.”
He said staff had tried to raise concerns about both the quality and the amount of PPE available to them, but employers had refused to listen to them.
He said: “Essentially, we felt that our members, overwhelmingly low paid, working class, women were being provided with the cheapest possible masks or really low-quality plastic gowns.”
Arkison added the PPE that was available was often unsuitable and ill-fitting for a mostly female workforce as he said: “This ultimately meant that many forms of PPE such as masks and aprons were too big for most female staff.”
He blamed these failings on the refusal of care homes to engage with trade unions and warned that an ongoing refusal by many homes to engage with unions continues.
He also stated that this lack of communication continues to put the well-being of residents and staff at risk.
Mr Arkison also accused ministers of contributing to the problem saying the then health minister Jeane Freeman failed to act when the GMB wrote to her in April 2020.
The union had requested routine testing for care staff at a time when untested patients were being moved from hospitals to care homes.
He also said official health and safety guidance was contradictory and was changed at short notice without unions being consulted.
“It caused confusion and mistrust of ministers that still lingers today.”
In its response Scottish Care, which represents independent care homes in Scotland, said: “Scottish Care does not recognise the description of private care homes expressed by GMB.
“It flies in the face of the reality that throughout the pandemic Scottish Care staff and members worked closely with many trade unionists to ensure that all staff were kept both safe and well.”
READ MORE: Tory ministers afraid of Nicola Sturgeon during Covid
The Scottish Care statement added: “In unknown circumstances, everyone was under a lot of pressure throughout the pandemic, and we saw a dedicated professionalism of staff putting themselves at risk by being present even when we knew little about the virus.
“Scottish Care and our members worked with government and others to mitigate risk wherever possible.”
“There is a growing and developing positive relationship between care providers both private and not-for-profit across Scotland and so we find it especially regrettable that some of the comments by the GMB put that partnership working at risk”.
The Scottish Government has been contacted for comment.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here