Labour call for residents’ rights probe

A HUMAN rights body has been urged to investigate whether the rights of care home residents have been violated throughout the Covid-19 crisis.

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard has written to the Scottish Human Rights Commission to ask it ensures that residents’ human rights are upheld and defended.

He is also hoping it will look into decisions taken by the Scottish Government during lockdown to determine whether there have been any violations.

Mr Leonard said in his letter to the Commision: ‘One of the greatest tragedies of Covid-19 is the impact on older people, particularly in care homes.

‘Over the last ten weeks, Scotland’s care

homes, when compared with the previous five years, have had an 82 per cent above average rate of death.

‘Respecting the rights of our most vulnerable citizens should be paramount, particularly at a time of a national crisis and emergency.’

He added: ‘There should be consideration of whether decisions taken by the Scottish Government during the last three months have recognised and respected the human rights of care home residents.’

Mr Leonard also raised concerns over the Scottish Government’s guidance to not admit care home residents to hospital and the ‘ill-advised’ transfer of untested patients from hospitals into care homes, highlighting that age is a protected characteristic by law.

He said: ‘It is vital that we ensure that lessons are learnt to stop this ever happening again. Particularly, if there is a second wave of Covid-1 , we must ensure that the rights of older people and adults in care homes are upheld.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘A framework of legislation protects the rights of individuals receiving care.

‘Throughout this pandemic we have worked closely with our colleagues in the NHS, local government and the voluntary and independent sectors to ensure the needs and rights of residents in care homes are able to be met.

‘Human rights are absolutely core to all our considerations.’