Catherine Sweeney died just days after Clydebank staff raised concerns about PPE

Catherine Sweeney, from Dumbarton, passed away on Saturday night at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley. Her family thanked the doctors and nurses who “heroically” looked after her.

The West Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership confirmed Catherine was a member of their team.

The news comes after West Dunbartonshire Council (WDC) was accused of putting the safety of workers at risk after carers from Clydebank got in touch with the Post last week.

Frontline staff said they were scared of having to go to work due to the possibility of spreading – or catching – coronavirus.

One carer, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “Hundreds of care workers are being refused face masks. They are only being given out in confirmed cases or houses with symptoms.

“We are left vulnerable and scared of contracting this deadly virus and taking it home to our loved ones.

“What if the staff themselves have it and are unaware? They would be passing it to Clydebank’s most vulnerable people.

“We feel let down by WDC.We’re scared and don’t want to go to work.”

A second carer told the Post: “The council is risking lives of both clients and staff. No aprons were provided for over a week and even after they arrived, we were only given a handful each.

“There is no hand sanitiser – one carer who got the last bottle was told to share it between other carers.”

In a survey by the GMB union, 92.3 per cent of care workers responded “yes” when asked: “Do you believe that you are being put at risk as a result of not being given a face mask?”

Leven councillor Jim Bollan said: “The council is putting the health of our frontline staff and their extended families at risk, along with the users of our services by not supplying adequate PPE.

“This is the feedback I am receiving from dozens of workers, many of whom are frightened to speak out for fear of retribution from their employer.

“We have known about the onset of this virus from January 2020 yet have failed to prepare sufficiently to fully protect our front line staff and many vulnerable residents which is a serious failure for WDC.”

A WDC spokeswoman said: “We continue to follow all government and health guidance and are doing everything we can to protect, support and safeguard our workers, including by providing training and PPE.”

But Jackie Baillie, Scottish Labour deputy leader, said access to protective clothing and equipment for health and social care staff is a “problem across Scotland”.

She called on the Scottish Government to take urgent action.

The Dumbarton MSP said: “In this time of crisis, we all owe a huge debt of gratitude to those heroic health and care workers who risk their lives daily to care for and treat those in need.

“This very sad news will come as a great blow to the family and to my local community. My thoughts are with them and I share in their grief.”

She added: “It is clear that access to protective clothing and equipment for health and social care staff is a problem across Scotland.

“Supplies are rationed because there is simply not enough and the strategy appears to be determined by that shortage of supply, rather than what health guidance dictates.

“This is simply not good enough and is putting lives at risk. The Scottish Government must act urgently to protect our brave frontline workers. It is our duty to do so.”

In response, a Scottish Government spokesman called the death a “terrible tragedy, and added: “We have adequate PPE supplies and are absolutely prioritising the protection of our frontline social care workers and we have introduced four direct supply lines for PPE, a streamlined ordering system for all staff who need PPE and a new dedicated email address for any health or social care worker who has any concerns about PPE supply to make contact with us immediately.”