Clear masks reportedly approved for use in UK-wide health settings

Two brands of clear, transparent face coverings have been approved by the UK Government to be trialled in health settings this year – according to the National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS).

The charity reports that Contechs’ transparent surgical face mask and Alpha Solway’s MX C mask have been given the all clear by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), in what NDCS described as an “exciting and long-awaited update”.

“[DHSC] have approved two transparent masks for use in UK-wide NHS health settings. This will be a game-changer for deaf children and young people who rely on lip-reading and facial expressions.

“DHSC will start piloting transparent face masks in 2022. These pilots will explore the usability and effectiveness of masks for communication between staff and patients.

“This could help many deaf people. Where face coverings are being used with deaf children in schools, we urge schools and colleges to speak to their deaf pupils and see if they would like their teachers or classmates to try them,” NDCS wrote in a Twitter thread on Tuesday.

(1/4) Very pleased to share an exciting & long-awaited update on clear #facemasks. @DHSCgovuk have approved two transparent masks for use in UK wide NHS health settings. This will be a game-changer for #deaf children & young people who rely on lip reading & facial expressions. 👏 pic.twitter.com/vrJQPUMbuG

— NDCS (@NDCS_UK) January 4, 2022

NDCS’ comments around schools follows an announcement on Monday that face coverings would return to secondary school classrooms in England. The Government guidance comes after pupils were ‘strongly advised’ to wear face coverings in communal areas in November.

Today’s rumoured update on clear masks for health settings is the latest development after the Government revealed it had delivered 250,000 clear masks to frontline NHS and social care workers in September 2020.

At the time, care minister Helen Whately said: “The introduction of clear face masks will help overcome some of the difficulties carers wearing PPE are facing [while] communicating with people who rely on lip-reading.

“If this proves a success I look forward to increasing the supply to make sure whenever a clear mask is needed, there is one available.”

In response to a report from the Women and Equalities Select Committee at the time, the Government said its pilot of the 250,000 ClearMasks from the US “demonstrated that transparent masks were valued and proved a need for them”.

“Building on this pilot, soft market engagement is being undertaken and there will be an assessment of a broader scope of products from a range of manufacturers to inform future procurement.

“This assessment will test different types of transparent masks that are currently at prototype stage, against a new technical specification being developed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA),” the Government’s response reads.

The Government concluded by saying that any future procurement of clear masks “will be informed by this work”.

However, a study published in April last year found that almost 90% of deaf healthcare professionals surveyed did not have access to clear masks.

The Limping Chicken has contacted DHSC for comment.

By Liam O’Dell. Liam is an award-winning Deaf freelance journalist and campaigner from Bedfordshire. He can be found talking about disability, theatre, politics and more on Twitter and on his website.

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Update – 17:45: In a statement to The Limping Chicken, a DHSC spokesperson said: “We have been working tirelessly with UK Make companies to provide a transparent face mask for clinical settings.

“Two products made by UK manufacturers meet the technical specifications required.”

This website understands that the Alpha Solway and Contechs masks are categorised as medical devices rather than personal protective equipment (PPE), and are compliant with technical specifications set by an NHS working group.

This means they can be purchased and introduced in health and care settings if they meet risk assessments carried out by local bodies.

While it is for manufacturers – not for DHSC – to publish details of approved face masks, it’s understood the department are continuing to trial products with further information provided “in due course”.

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Update – 05/01/22 – 13:40: The two approved masks will be trialled in a pilot expected to start later this month, after the ClearMask failed to meet NHS standards.

In a press release published in July 2021, DHSC said: “A transparent face covering was piloted in September 2020.

“The feedback from this pilot demonstrated the benefit of transparent masks and highlighted that additional technical standards were needed to enable manufacturers to upgrade transparent face coverings into transparent face masks suitable for medical use.”

The Scottish Government announced in December that a mask by Alpha Solway had been approved for use in health and care settings, with NHS National Services Scotland placing an initial order for 2.3 million masks.

Around 10% of these have already been issued to health boards, they added.