Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of removing guidance on mask wearing in care homes for all staff and patients and making mask-wearing discretionary for the individual or staff member.

In adult social care, the guidance continues to recommend that all staff and visitors wear masks to provide protection for residents from COVID-19. The guidance provides scope for mask removal to be considered as part of a risk assessment if the usage is particularly challenging for the resident. Further personal protective equipment may also be recommended to carry out specific tasks. The wearing of face masks by care home residents has never been recommended. The Department continues to work with the UK Health Security Agency to review the relevant guidance to ensure it reflects safe and proportionate infection prevention and control principles.