Deaf charity urges NHS Trusts to use clear masks following guidance change

The National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) has called on NHS Trusts to use transparent face masks, after new national guidance relaxed rules on face coverings for health and care staff.

The letter, sent to clinical commissioning groups and NHS Trusts on 1 June, said healthcare professionals should continue to wear the personal protective equipment (PPE) around confirmed and suspected Covid cases, when there are new variants or an outbreak, and when providing respiratory care.

They added mask wearing should also be considered around immunosuppressed patients – such as in blood and cancer care – but staff are not required to use them in offices or social settings unless there is a personal preference or specific issues identified in a risk assessment.

The guidance – penned by national medical director Stephen Powis and England’s chief nursing officer Duncan Burton – goes on to state: “Any [infection prevention and control] measures beyond those contained in those publications is a matter for local discretion.

“We understand that there may be a period of transition as providers make changes to their operating procedures, especially given local variation in COVID-19 infection levels.”

However, NDCS has warned face masks are “likely to remain widespread” following the change, creating a “serious issue” around opaque masks which renders lipreading “impossible”.

In a joint letter with the British Academy of Audiology, NDCS chief executive Susan Daniels wrote: “You may be aware that for deaf children young people and adults, patients and staff alike, opaque face masks create a serious communication barrier.

“The increased use of face masks during the pandemic, although necessary to reduce the spread of infection, has made lip-reading and understanding visual cues from facial expressions impossible. This has left deaf people – and I include myself here – struggling to communicate.

“The implications of misunderstanding medical information due to these new barriers could be very serious.”

The plea also comes as three brands of transparent face masks have met the necessary technical requirements to offer the same protection as a Type IIR surgical and disposable mask.

A pilot of Smile Shield, Contechs and Alpha Solway Haika-MXC was planned by the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), but this was later cancelled.

The Limping Chicken understands the PPE programme was transferred from the DHSC to NHS Supply Chain, but the masks did not go to market in time for them to be piloted before this transition.

Although the masks are not currently in the NHS supply chain, NHS Trusts can purchase them directly from suppliers.

The letter continues: “We would encourage you to purchase a supply of these masks so they are available for use with deaf patients and staff.

“Their use could be regarded as a reasonable adjustment under the Equality Act 2010 and we will be encouraging all our members to ask services to try them.”

In a statement issued to The Limping Chicken, Ms Daniels added: “Transparent face masks are fully approved and they could transform the healthcare experience for deaf people.

“Every Trust in the country needs to make the investment now because it really could be game-changing.”

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.