Sturgeon denies ignoring SAGE advice as hospital checks reviewed
Ni cola Sturgeon rejected opposition claims that she ignored advice from the government’s leading scientific advisory group when developing new restrictions for Scotland.
The First Minister was also challenged on guidance for infection control in hospitals by the Scottish Conservatives following a virtual statement to the Scottish Parliament where she announced new guidance on face coverings.
Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard highlighted the minutes from the UK Government advisor y group SAGE from 21 September that warned new restrictions should be “without ambiguity or contradiction” and warned of a cycle of circuit breaker lockdowns.
He said: “Despite this, the First Minister last week chose measures, which were imposed with no engagement of those affected, which have resulted in ambiguity and confusion, and which will hit hardest those on the lowest incomes.
Meanwhile, the current test and trace strategy and system is not good enough.
“Can the First Minister explain to us why she ignored that scientific advice?”
Ms Sturgeon flatly rejected the suggestion, saying her Government had “absolutely not” ignored the advice from the scientists.
She said: “If we look at the actions from governments across the UK, the Scottish Government acted to implement many of the recommendations SAGE made.
"Governments have to take account of the scientific advice and, of course, the further we go into this pandemic, we must balance the imperative of stopping the virus with the harms that are done through some of the measures we have to use to do that.
"We have to reach balanced decisions that stop the virus, protect people’s jobs and livelihoods and wider well-being and health as well.” Ms Sturgeon said household visiting restrictions were introduced by Scotland the day after it was recommended by SAGE.
The First Minister was also pressed by Ruth Davidson over several outbreaks of Covid-19 in hospitals and the infection prevention and control guidance in place in Scotland.
The Scottish Conser vative’s Holy rood leader’ s question was affected by poor wifi signal and audio, meaning much of it was inaudible to those watching the virtual session of Parliament.
However, raising outbreaks in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Glasgow and the Western General in Edinburgh and amid news of another outbreak in an orthopaedic trauma war in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Ms Davidson asked Ms Sturgeon: “Can the First Minister say that further infection control measures, such as temperature testing, is being considered on a ward by ward basis across Scotland?”
In response, the First Minister said hospital acquired infection of Covid -19 was a “concern ”. She said the Scottish Government was following advice from scientists on how to reduce the chance of infection.
Ms Sturgeon said: “We will continue to keep all of that under review and take decisions based on clinical advice.
"We publish weekly figures on nosocomial hospital acquired infections and we continue, the health sec retar y and I, to be updated and advised by the chief nursing officer and deputy chief nursing officer about the situation in particular wards and hospitals and the steps that are being taken.
"Infection prevention and control, both in the sense of preventing Covid getting into hospitals, but controlling and preventing its transmission in hospitals, is of paramount importance.”
Ward 212 at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary is now closed to new admissions and visitors.
The health board said enhanced cleaning regimes have been put in place. A spokesperson for NHS Grampian said: “We are investigating a small number of detected cases of Covid-19 associated with Ward 212 at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
“The ward has been closed to new admissions and visitors are not permitted at present, although virtual visiting is available.
“Care is being delivered as normal. Enhanced cleaning regimes are in place.”
Meanwhile, a ward at Scotland’s biggest hospital has reopened after an outbreak of coronavirus among patients and staff.
Positive cases were confirmed at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow on Monday, with measures put in place to help stop the virus spreading further.
In a statement, the health board said at the time :“All those affected have been contact traced, screened and are self-isolating. All asymp toma tic contact patients are being cared for separately from the confirmed cases.”
A spokeswoman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde confirmed that the ward reopened on Tuesday.
At Edinburgh’s Western General, around 20 hospital porters are currently self-isolating after a member of the team is believed to have tested positive for coronavirus.
The health board would not confirm if a porter had tested positive. However, they did say that" some members of the Western General portering team" were self-isolating.
George Curley, the director of operations for NHS Lothian said: "Although there are some members of the Western General portering team that are self-isolating, as per government guidelines, we have a large team and the remaining shifts have been covered by our existing staff.”
He added that support from a small number of staff deployed from other teams was filling any gaps “and ensuring we deliver a full service right across the hospital”.