Are psychiatric hospitals new breeding ground for virus?:
FIVE patients have died within days at a Scottish mental health hospital after an outbreak of coronavirus.
In what are thought to be the first deaths from Covid-19 at a psychiatric facility north of the Border, staff at Leverndale Hospital, in Crookston, Glasgow, are struggling to contain the spread of the disease, which broke out in two long-stay wards for the elderly.
A sixth patient has been transferred to the city’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital for life-saving oxygen treatment.
A source said: ‘Nursing staff are frightened but they are doing their very best to try to control the outbreak. The virus is so virulent that in an environment like that it could spread like wildfire if they don’t keep on top of it.
‘It’s compounded by the fact that mental health patients can find it difficult to comply with social distancing rules. Some can even become aggressive. In mental health wards, nurses are not only on the front line but also the firing line.’ The first suspected case appeared in the hospital’s Banff ward two weeks ago and staff took measures to isolate the patients. But the virus quickly spread to the neighbouring Balmore ward and five patients have died in the past few days. A spokesman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: ‘Any in-patient showing symptoms of Covid-19 is assessed and there is a robust pathway to ensure they receive the necessary care, which may require transfer to other hospital sites where it is deemed safe to do so and in their best interests.
‘We continue to review the situation across sites, including Leverndale, and we are following all guidance from infection prevention and control to ensure that no patient or staff member is put at any additional risk.
‘At Leverndale, any symptomatic patient is nursed in a single room with transmission-based precautions in place, and enhanced environmental cleaning is ongoing to minimise the risk of transmission. Our staff are following self-isolation rules if they show symptoms and the importance of handwashing and social distancing has been emphasised. Where possible, patients have been discharged to their own homes and strict visiting restrictions are also in place.
‘The safety of our patients, staff and public is our top priority. Social distancing is being practised as much as possible in all healthcare settings. However, this can be particularly difficult in some circumstances.’
Last night, Scottish Tory health spokesman Miles Briggs said: ‘Focus has understandably gone to health workers in acute hospitals and to others in the community on the front line. But we can’t afford to forget about the considerable number of staff and patients who work in psychiatric hospitals.’