Renewed calls for homes ‘scandal’ inquiry

Calls are growing for a public inquiry to be held into the discharge of dozens of Covid-19-positive patients into care homes from hosp i ta ls across Scotland.

Scottish opposition parties have rounded on the Scottish Government in light of a new report that revealed 78 patients who tested positive for Covid-19 in hospital were discharged to care homes between March 1 and April 21.

The report, published by Public Health Scotland yesterday, showed that only 650 of the 3 ,599 elderly patients discharged from hospital during this period had been tested.

It also details that, between April 21 and May 31, a further 278 hospital patients who had previously tested positive for the virus were discharged to care homes, with 233 receiving a negative test prior to discharge, suggesting 45 did not.

Scottish Conservative Holyrood leader Ruth Davidson reiterated calls for a public inquiry into the “scandal” to begin “without further delay”.

She said: “This is a time for contrition, not a selective and complacent interpretation of decisions that saw many elderly people die.

“It is now more important than ever to know what the first minister and her health secretary knew and when. That’s why we need the public inquiry into this scandal to begin without further delay.”

Scottish Labour health and social care spokeswoman Monica Lennon branded the decision to move patients with Covid-19 into care homes as “reckless” and claimed Scottish ministers must be held to account for this “Russian roulette strategy”.