Key principles for Delivering Your Services

Key principles for delivering community-based services

Scotland has moved beyond the system of local protection levels but there are still risks and it is important to remember that the pandemic isn’t over yet.  It is true that the vaccine, Test and Protect and the FACTS guidance has helped us to suppress the virus to an acceptable level that alleviates harms, but there is more we can all do to build on this good work and prevent a return to local or even national lockdowns.

Many of you will have spent a lot of time putting robust operational policies in place for issues such as physical distancing, hand hygiene and cleaning.  We encourage you to continue with these measures for a while longer; some of the measures are no longer a legal requirement but we are still being encouraged to do what we can to minimise the risk of the virus spreading again. 

The advice in this revised section will continue to help you and your organisation to operate as safely as possible. These pages should be read alongside the information and advice in Part A.

Things we should still do to keep ourselves and others safe

The Scottish Government has said that face coverings must still be worn in the majority of indoor settings.  This includes public buildings, offices, community centres, public and community transport, places of worship and retail, hospitality and entertainment venues.  This regulation is still the law and applies from Monday 9th August 2021.  It is reasonable to conclude that the law continues to apply to almost every community activity or service being delivered indoors. Please make sure that you, your staff, volunteers, users and visitors fully understand what is required when delivering your services or undertaking activities.  The information below tells you why and how to wear a face covering, and who is exempt.

What is a facial covering? A facial covering is described as: a covering of the mouth and nose that is made of cloth or other textiles and through which you can breathe, for example a purpose made mask, scarf or buff/gaiter. Medical or surgical grade masks are not recommended or required. Facial coverings should not be used on children under two years old.

Can I use a face visor? The Scottish Government announced on 8th August 2020 that face visors including those made from plastic, perspex and other materials MUST NOT be used as a substitute for a facial covering (as described above).  This is because there is growing evidence that ‘aerosol transmission’ of the virus is possible, meaning that droplets of infected particles could be suspended in the air and enter the eyes, mouth and nose via the opening at the bottom of the face visor.  You may choose to wear a face visor IN ADDITION TO a facial covering, but you must not use it as a substitute for a facial covering.

How To use a Face Covering

• wash hands thoroughly, or use sanitizer before putting it on, avoiding touching the face, mouth and nose.

• after removing wash hands thoroughly, or use sanitizer. 

• wash facial coverings at 60 degrees, or dispose of safely by double bagging and disposing of along with normal waste.

What are the exemptions? These apply to children aged under five years, emergency responders, staff such as drivers when already physically separated by a screen, people engaged in lip reading, anyone in the process of taking medication, eating or drinking or anyone asked to remove the facial covering by a police officer.  However in order to claim exemption from wearing a facial covering a ‘reasonable excuse’ must be given.  In addition to the exemptions listed above a ‘reasonable excuse’ is stated in the legislation as:

• being in the process of seeking medical assistance

• providing care* or assistance to a vulnerable person** 

• to avoid injury, illness or to escape the risk from harm

• where a person cannot wear a facial covering due to the risk of severe distress or has a disability or impairment*** -  as defined in law by the Equality Act

*A carer as defined by the Carers(Scotland) Act on either a paid or voluntary basis

** A vulnerable person is anyone aged 70 years and over, anyone under 70 years with a significant underlying health condition and anyone who is pregnant

***A health issue, impairment or long term condition that is defined as a disability under the Equality Act 

Test and Protect continues to be a really important public health measure, helping to break chains of transmission of COVID-19 in the community.  With increasing levels of protection from the uptake of vaccines the self isolation rules have changed in recent months, and may change again.  Below is a summary of the latest information to help you to comply with Test and Protect:

Self isolation:

If you begin to  have symptoms of COVID-19, or you have tested positive for it you must isolate immediately, as before.  The following steps then apply:

If you are unvaccinated, or have only had one dose of vaccine and you are identified as a close contact, you should self-isolate for 10 days, whether or not you have any symptoms. This is because symptoms can take that long to develop and you can still pass the virus on. If you develop symptoms, you should request a test.

If you are a fully vaccinated adult who is identified as a close contact, you should get a PCR test as soon as possible. Provided you return a negative PCR test result and remain asymptomatic (don’t have any symptoms) you may end self-isolation as a close contact.

If you are younger than 18 years and 4 months and identified as a close contact, you should get a PCR test as soon as possible. Provided you return a negative PCR test result and remain asymptomatic (don’t have any symptoms), you may end self-isolation as a close contact. However, children under 5 years will be encouraged but not required to take a PCR test. The reason that eighteen years and 4 months is the age specified is to allow an extra 4 months for people who turn 18 time to get fully vaccinated. 

You can order home testing kits here.

We strongly encourage you to download the Test and Protect app, and keep it activated at all times.  This is especially important if you are delivering community-based activities and services indoors as there is still a risk of infection transmission - it is the responsibility of us all to report symptoms of Covid-19 and follow the guidance to reduce the chance of local outbreaks.  You can get the app here: Protect Scotland app   https://protect.scot/

You can read the full Scottish Government guidance on Test and Protect here:https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-test-and-protect/

Workplace testing

The Scottish Government has expanded the offer of workplace testing to private, public and third-sector organisations. If you have ten or more staff (including employees and formal volunteers) you can now sign up for asymptomatic workplace testing as part of a drive to identify cases early and prevent wider outbreaks.

Around 1 in 3 people with COVID-19 do not show symptoms, so can spread the virus to others without knowing. Regular testing using lateral flow devices (LFDs) helps to find positive cases in people who have no symptoms, but who are still infectious. If people who test positive self-isolate we can break the chain of transmission and limit the spread of COVID-19.

Eligible organisations can choose from two models of testing, depending on their needs: 

• LFD Collect - allows organisations to distribute test kits to their staff/volunteers to carry out self-testing at home

• testing within the workplace using the asymptomatic test site (ATS) model

If you would like to enquire about workplace testing please email the National Services Scotland testing mailbox at nss.covid19testingsupport@nhs.scot.  You will be asked to complete a form providing key information and contact details. You will then be given access to an online portal containing all the information you will need to plan and deliver an effective workplace testing programme, including promotional materials. Ongoing support and oversight will be provided by NHS National Services Scotland and the Scottish Government.

If you have fewer than 10 staff or volunteers, you can still encourage them to test themselves regularly at home. Members of the public can collect LFD test kits from a local pharmacy or COVID-19 test site, or order online for home delivery.

Asymptomatic workplace testing does not replace current guidance for those with symptoms or those identified as a close contact of a positive case - see our section on Test and Protect.  Testing also does not replace basic preventative measures such as regular hand-washing and wearing face coverings when required. Home-working continues to be recommended where possible. 

Check-in Scotland

Collecting contact details is no longer a legal requirement unless you are a pub, bar, cafe or restaurant, but we strongly advise all community-based services and activities to think about continuing with this measure as part of their overall approach to risk management.  Anything we can do to make it easier to spot and manage potential outbreaks early is worth that little bit of extra time and effort. You might choose to continue with a paper-based system for collecting contact details - that is perfectly acceptable if it works for you, your staff and your users.  However you might choose to join the Check-in Scotland scheme which allows you to collect contact details digitally via an app.  You may have done this yourself if you have been to a cafe or restaurant in recent months - each venue has a poster with a QR code displayed at the entrance or reception, the visitor scans the QR code and enters the details of their visit via an app of their phone.  Any venue or building can get their own QR code - including community venues.

You can find out more about the QR code and creating one for your venue. And more general information on Check-in Scotland here: using the Check In Scotland QR code

Confused about the different kinds of Coronavirus tests?

That’s understandable!  This resource mentions both PCR test and LFD tests, so we thought it was important to briefly explain the difference. The 2 main coronavirus tests are:

• polymerase chain reaction (PCR) – used mainly for people with symptoms

• lateral flow device (LFD) – used for people who do not have symptoms

A PCR test involves taking a swab of the throat and nose. PCR tests are processed in a laboratory, and are a reliable way to detect the genetic material of a virus. In general terms they are used when people have or think they have coronavirus symptoms. If you think you  have symptoms you will be asked to take a PCR test, usually by booking an appointment at a local test centre. You’ll normally get your PCR test result back within 48 hours.  In exceptional circumstances you can ask for a home PCR testing kit. You should also book a PCR test if:

• you’ve been asked to get a test by your local council, health protection team, healthcare professional, place of work or education

• you’ve been asked to get a test to confirm a positive LFD result, or you have had 2 or more void or inconclusive LFD tests

• you’ve been identified as a close contact through Test and Protect or the Protect Scotland app, or found out you’re a close contact in another way

LFD (lateral flow device) tests are self-tests for people who do not have coronavirus symptoms.  They are sometimes also called ‘rapid tests’.   People in Scotland are encouraged to take routine LFD tests to help monitor the levels of coronavirus in Scotland and prevent local outbreaks.  You can order home testing kits here: 

The LFD test usually involves taking a sample from your throat and nose using a swab.  A sample from the swab is then applied to a test strip, which will give you a result in 30 minutes.  If your result is negative you should register the result on the UK government website, and no more action is required.  If the result is positive you should self-isolate immediately and book a PCR test.

LFD tests:

• are simple to use

• give a result in 30 minutes

• can be taken at home

• help find positive cases in people who are infectious but don’t have symptoms

In summary: the coronavirus test you should take depends on why you’re getting tested and whether you have symptoms. More information on testing can be found on NHS Inform here.

Vaccine information

NHS Scotland strongly recommends that everyone who is offered a Covid vaccine, takes it. We can all contribute to a collective effort to stop not just the spread of Covid-19, but the harmful consequences it has for individuals and communities. As volunteers, community groups and third sector organisations you have trusted relationships with people who use your services, and you could find yourself being asked questions about the vaccine programme.  It is really important that you know where to find the most accurate and up to date information.  A high level of public confidence in the vaccine programme is essential to its success, and trusted organisations like yours are in a strong position to support wider public health and government messaging. If you are delivering community-based services or activities we encourage you to think about what you can do to help share accurate, fact-checked information about the vaccine, and help your staff, volunteers and users get access to the right information for them.

The best, most up to date source of information on Scotland’s vaccine programme is the NHS Inform website- you can find it here: https://www.nhsinform.scot/covid-19-vaccine

The site is very easy to use, has up-to-the-minute information on all things vaccine-related and a wide range of leaflets are also available to download, in a range of accessible formats and community languages.

The latest on PPE (personal protective equipment)

• Health Protection Scotland continues to advise that the use of additional PPE is only needed ‘wherever there is a higher level of contamination risk through respiratory secretions from potentially infected individuals’. Respiratory secretions in this situation means anything that could spread the virus in droplets from the nose or mouth such as; heavy breathing, coughing, sneezing or from bodily fluids such as saliva. This is very unlikely to happen for a number of important reasons:

• anyone with symptoms, or part of a household where someone else has symptoms, should be self-isolating in line with the latest Government guidance.

• facial coverings should be worn in indoor settings.

• hand hygiene measures should be in place at all times, including the use of hand sanitizer where hand washing with soap and water isn’t possible.

• good ventilation measures should be in place 

• Some people are choosing, or have been asked to wear latex or other types of disposable gloves for activities such as grocery shopping and deliveries. Disposable gloves are single-use items and intended to be used for a single specific purpose, such as an episode of cleaning or carrying out a care activity. If the gloves become contaminated they will then contaminate anything else that they come into contact with. They are unlikely to be cleaned (and as a single-use item they are not designed to be cleaned and re-used) and may well give the wearer a false sense of security. If the wearer touches their face, there is the same risk of any contamination getting into their nose, mouth or eyes as there would be from unwashed hands. Robust and effective hand hygiene is still the recommended way to prevent the spread of the virus, so we suggest that you carefully consider whether the use of gloves is appropriate for the activity that you are involved in.  

Summary: the current advice is that additional PPE should not be required, over and above what you would normally use e.g. if you are in a food handling or preparation environment where you might be required to use gloves/aprons/hair nets etc.

Useful Links

For further information about the Test and Protect service, visitwww.nhsinform.scot/coronavirus. Information about how to get additional support if you need to isolate can be found at Ready Scotland.

Those who cannot leave their home or get the help they need from family, friends or online can call the National Assistance Helpline on 0800 111 4000.

Next page: Effective hand hygiene

Further information about SCS