Fit-Testing Preparedness

3.1 The Welsh Government recognises the importance of having enough trained fit testers and suitable protective masks available as part of day‑to‑day planning and emergency preparedness. The Welsh Government will continue to work with health and social care providers to strengthen workforce safety in this area. 3.2 The Covid‑19 pandemic showed how important it is for staff to have reliable access to fit testing, trained fit testers and suitable protective masks. This applies across health and social care settings, including NHS organisations, primary care, adult social care, care homes and other settings where staff may need to use respiratory protective equipment. 3.3 A core priority is to ensure that Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) and Filtering Face Piece 3 (FFP3) fit‑testing resilience is maintained across health and social care settings as part of business‑as‑usual arrangements and emergency preparedness planning. The Welsh Government will work with NHS organisations in Wales and Social Care Wales to assess the current fit‑testing capabilities and requirements. 3.4 Public Health Wales has worked with partners across the UK to develop a respiratory protective equipment challenges framework. The framework identifies key challenges and proposes a national approach to strengthening compliance and improve how well systems prepare for, cope with, and recover from emergencies. This includes preparing for serious infectious diseases, planning for periods of high demand, and making fit testing part of routine practice. 3.5 The framework will help organisations across Wales to undertake risk assessments to manage seasonal respiratory viral infections, including influenza, Covid‑19 and other illnesses that spread through infectious particles in the air. 3.6 Implementation of the framework will therefore support a joined‑up approach, across NHS organisations in Wales, local authorities, Social Care Wales, care home providers and domiciliary care providers.

The Scottish Government accepts the recommendation to review the availability of qualified face fit testers.

The Scottish Government accepts in principle the recommendation to increase the number of face fit testers accordingly. We agree with the intent of ensuring sufficient face fit testing capacity is available across health and social care services. However, any decision on future numbers should be informed by an assessment of operational need, existing capacity and future workforce requirements across Scotland.

The Scottish Government also accepts in principle the recommendation that availability should be reviewed every three years. In line with feedback from CIREG, we support the principle of regular review and assurance of face fit testing capacity and plan to review arrangements at least every three years. However, we consider that the timing of reviews should be aligned with wider resilience, workforce planning and pandemic preparedness arrangements while delivering the intent of the recommendation. These considerations may influence the exact timing of future reviews.

The recommendation relating to updated employer guidance is a matter for the Health and Safety Executive and Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland rather than the Scottish Government.

Since the pandemic, the Scottish Government has taken forward work to understand and strengthen face fit testing arrangements. PSD Scotland was commissioned to review current and future filtering facepiece respirator 3 (FFP3) face fit testing arrangements across health and social care in Scotland. Recommendations from that review were submitted in May 2026 and are being considered by the Scottish Government.

In parallel, the Scottish Government has sought information from NHS Board Health and Safety Leads on current face fit testing coverage, sustainability arrangements, risks and gaps, to support understanding of current face fit testing coverage and FFP3 provision across NHS Boards in Scotland. This will support assessment of current capacity and inform any further action required. The Scottish Government will also work with PSD Scotland to consider future face fit testing equipment requirements - including the demands of a pandemic response and continue to engage with the other UK nations as appropriate on preparedness and resilience matters.

In addition to FFP3 provision, it is important to note that powered hoods are an essential part of the Respiratory Protective Equipment available where face fit testing cannot be undertaken or successfully achieved. The Scottish Government will work with NHS Boards and care services to confirm access to powered hoods and seek assurance that there is appropriate maintenance and cleaning of equipment in place, and a register of staff education and training.

Ensuring robust face fit testing, where necessary powered hood provision, PPE education and training for health and social care staff should be maintained as part of preparedness and resilience and a register of staff education and training is in place.

The government agrees with the Inquiry that guidance to employers should emphasise the need to ensure sufficient fit-testing capacity is available. The Health and Safety Executive intends to update its Pandemic preparedness and response guidance to employers by the end of 2026.

No statement on delivery from Department of Health and Social Care has been found in the sources searched. This is separate from the response above.