Scots legal threat over care home visiting
Fa mi l i e s o f S c o t t i s h c a r e home residents are ready to take legal action and withh o l d f e e s a m i d g r o w i n g anger over a lack of visiting access with loved ones, MSPS have been told.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman has now agreed to crossparty talks in a bid to resolve the concerns.
The move comes after doct o r s , p o l i t i c i a n s , l awye r s , campaigners and celebrities signed an open letter to First Mi n i s te r Ni c o la S t u rg e o n urging her to end the "human rights scandal" around care home visiting in Scotland.
"I've spoken to families over the weekend who are pre - pared to take action they really do not want to take," Labour MSP Neil Findlay told Ms Freeman at Holyrood yesterday.
"That would include the withholding of care home fees and it would include legal action." He called for immediate cross-party talks with Ms Freeman to examine the prosp ect of emer - gency legislation to facilitate "safe, regular contact" with
family members in care.
Ms Freeman said she was prepared to have talks with other parties on the issue.
She said 40 per cent of care homes where there was no o u t b r e a k we r e a l l o w i n g indoor visits, up to four-hour visits in some cases.
Ms Freeman said guidance i s s u e d f o r C h r i s tmas a n d New Year was "significantly improved" and sets out "what care homes can do, what visitors can do and what precautions need to be taken”.
New lateral flow tests are being trialled in 14 homes across five council areas this week and will be rolled out across the country next week.