Renfrewshire care homes coronavirus deaths rises to 108
Latest toll as council reveals taskforce will tackle response
The number of people who have died of coronavirus in Renfrewshire care homes has reached 108 as a new taskforce is set up to oversee homes in the area.
A further five people have died of Covid-19 in the last week.
The increase is the smallest weekly death toll in care homes in the area since early April.
But the figure means that, to date, half of all Covid-19 deaths that have taken place in Renfrewshire have occurred in care homes.
The national average is 46 per cent.
Stat i s t i c s, published by Renfrewshire Council, show that 11 of the area’s 22 care homes are currently caring for 35 residents who are showing symptoms of Covid- 19 or who have already tested positive.
The update marks a significant rise in the number of facilities dealing with coronavirus cases, with just four homes reporting symptomatic residents the previous week.
It comes as the local authority confirms one care home, which has not been named, has seen a significant increase in Covid-19 cases in the past two weeks and as the testing of care home residents and staff has ramped up across the area.
Since May 1 - when testing was expanded to include all care home residents and staff in homes where someone had displayed symptoms of the virus - 494 tests have been completed. Of those 49 were positive. Further testing is currently underway at 12 care homes.
The figures were revealed as Renfrewshire Council says a new team is being created which will oversee all care homes’ response to the virus and support facilities when a new outbreak is reported.
Established in line with Scottish Government guidelines, the team, supported by a local “huddle”, will look at how homes are responding to emerging problems and how they are managing infection control, while also providing advice and support,
In her report to Renfrewshire Council’s Emergencies Board, chief executive Sandra Black said:
“The new Scottish Government guidance requires that clinical and care professionals at NHS boards and local authorities have a lead role in the oversight for care homes in their area.
“Every NHS board and local authority must put in place a multi-disciplinary team which will convene daily.
“Robust and collaborative arrangements are already in place locally and will be developed to include: A daily call to every care home through which home by home information will be captured that provides a clear understanding about staffing levels; PPE; infection control; numbers of residents who are symptomatic; numbers of deaths and the status of testing.
“This will be reported to a new Oversight Huddle.
“This Huddle will be responsible for reviewing the daily care home status report; ensuring this leads to appropriate advice and support to all homes; and identifying clear improvement actions where required.”
The new arrangements will also see a weekly care home support meetings take place in which all 22 care homes will be asked to participate.
Its aim is to provide a space where care home providers can be issued with clinical and care advice and support.
Every NHS board and local authority must put in place a multi-disciplinary team to convene daily