Pressure on over deaths in care
Only 40 care home deaths from the first wave of coronavirus have been reported to prosecutors.
Lord Advocate James Wolffe announced a special Crown Office unit on May 21 would investigate deaths of residents and staff. But while 216 fatalities since that date have been passed to investigators, only 40 of a potential 2000 cases between March and May have been referred by police.
Scottish Labour’s health spokeswoman Monica Lennon said: “The priority now needs to be ensuring mistakes are not repeated while also recognising the rights of residents to live their lives and to have contact with loved ones.”
Care homes have been asked to fill in detailed forms containing 37 questions about when government guidelines were followed, staff rotas, invoices for personal protective equipment, floor plans and visitor records.
Donald Macaskill, chief executive of industry body Scottish Care, has warned the process had been a burden to staff “actively fighting the pandemic at this minute”.
The Crown Office said: “These deaths are being reported as part of a multi-agency approach and a process has been established for this work to be done diligently but without placing undue burden on health or care agencies.”
Assistant Chief Constable Judi Heaton said: “We are fully supportive of the Crown Office review and, indeed, any requirement that may subsequently be placed on us to carry out a full investigation.”
She added that police would continue to work with the Crown Office and partner agencies to maximise public safety.