Bosses at care home manage to limit death toll from outbreak

Bosses at a Fife care home say they have managed to contain a potentially catastrophic coronavirus outbreak.

Four residents at the family-run Bandrum Nursing Home near Saline in west Fife have died.

They were among 10 in a 25-bed dementia unit who tested positive for the virus last month.

The home cares for 85 residents with a staff team of 150 and managers say stringent measures were put in place to prevent the outbreak from sweeping through all five units across the site.

All six of the remaining residents who had the virus are understood to have since recovered.

Rachel Payne, managing director of Bandrum Nursing Home, said no new cases had been reported for more than a fortnight.

“We are very encouraged that our outbreak was officially over on May 6,” she said.

“This is down to our team’s excellent care and adherence to infection control measures.”

All four people who died were being cared for in the dementia unit, which is in a separate building.

Family members were invited to spend time with them before they died, within the guidelines issued by the Scottish Government, and were said to be “extremely grateful” for the care they received.

Around 40%, of Scotland’s Covid19 related deaths have occurred in care homes. There has also been widespread concern about testing and the supply of protective kit for staff.

National statistics published on Wednesday revealed 66 of the 177 deaths where Covid-19 has been mentioned on the death certificate happened in care homes, with 96 in hospital and 15 at home or a noninstitutional setting.

The outbreak in Bandrum’s dementia unit appears to have been managed by splitting the unit into separate zones.

We are very encouraged that our outbreak was officially over on May 6. RACHEL PAYNE