Covid patients were put in care homes Data says 75 people testing positive were moved
A new report has revealed that scores of patients who received a positive Covid-19 test were moved into care homes in the early stages of the pandemic.
The Public Health Scotland discharge data published this week reveals that 78 patients who tested positive for the virus were moved into care homes across the country in the period from March 1 to April 21.
That figure is taken from the 650 patients who were tested during that period but the majority - just over 81 per cent - of care home discharges were NOT tested for the virus, in line with guidelines the time.
But it states there is no statistical evidence to prove that hospital discharges were the cause of Covid outbreaks in carehomes.
The report reveals, however, that almost a third of care homes in Scotland reported an outbreak between March 1 and June 21, with the likelihood of positive cases being reported heavily linked to the size of the home.
The data shows that 90.2 per cent of homes with 90 or more residents said they had multiple positive cases, compared to 3.7 per cent of homes with 20 or fewer residents.
One such outbreak was seen at The Orchard nursing home in Tullibody. We reported in May that 14 residents lost their lives as the virus spread.
HC-ONE, who own the carehome, told the Observer that “no Covidpositive residents were admitted to The Orchard”.
Catherine Johnston’s husband John, who was 89, died at the home on May 13 and she has welcomed calls from opposition politicians for the findings to be investigated more closely.
Catherine told the Observer: “It certainly is a concern that these things were going on and it should be looked at.
“There’s obviously a big problem in the care homes in that if it’s in the system, then it can spread around quickly with the close and confined spaces.
“There were certainly people coming in from hospital at that time, so I would welcome looking into it because there were quite a few deaths in the home and they could have come from one of those cases.”
The call to investigate the issue also follows complaints earlier this year from the family of another former Orchard resident who also died in the outbreak about the potential impact of new admissions on the surge in cases.
Caroline Grattan, daughter of 88-year-old Margaret Johnston, said in May: “There has been no visiting at mum’s home for coming up to 10 weeks. They were taking people in and self isolating them in rooms, so either those people took it in or the staff did.”
Following the initial outbreak, a spokesperson for HC-ONE - who own the home - told the Observer that “no Covid-positive residents were admitted to The Orchard” and the home had gone above and beyond government advice by self-isolating new members for a fortnight as a precaution.
Responding to questions on the figures, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the report showed there was “no statisical evidence” linking hospital discharges to care home outbreaks.
Ms Sturgeon added: “Nothing in the report detracts from the tragedy of the deaths that have occurred in care homes over the course of the pandemic, and nothing ever will detract from the heartbreak of those bereaved.”
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “The data from this report gives us a better understanding of the impact of discharges on outbreaks in care homes.
“We will be taking forward the recommendations that PHS make in their report, and we will continue to adapt our guidance and the steps we are taking to protect care home staff and residents.”