Partnership reveals 20 deaths at care homes

New information has revealed that 20 residents have died with Covid-19 at the four West Lothian Council operated care homes.

The Courier sent a Freedom of Information request to West Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership asking for details on Covid-19 outbreaks at Limecroft Care Home, Craigmair Interim Care Home, Whitdale Care Home and Burngrange Care Home, since the pandemic started.

We discovered that at in all four facilities, 60 patients in total have returned positive tests for Covid-19, and 49 staff members.

There have been three significant outbreaks at the four care homes.

Burngrange Care Home in West Calder had an outbreak with 25 positive tests returned, an outbreak at Craigmair Interim Care Home in Livingston recorded 12 positive tests and another at Whitdale Care Home in Whitburn reported 12.

The request revealed that no patients who tested positive for Covid-19 at West Lothian Council-run care homes have been sent back from St John’s Hospital in Livingston whilst testing positive.

And from the 60 infections among residents in the four West Lothian care homes there have been 20 Covid-19 related deaths.

A West Lothian Council spokesperson said:“We can assure families with loved ones within our care homes that we are doing everything we can to protect residents and staff.

“Like all areas in Scotland, since March last year, some patients within our care homes have sadly passed away following a positive Covid-19 test, which is heartbreaking.

“Our thoughts are with the relatives and friends of those that have lost loved ones.

“Our thoughts are also with our staff members who have all gone through so much over the past year caring for patients and supporting family members.”

The request also asked about the five West Lothian Council sheltered housing complexes, Brucefield House, Cunnigar House, Jane Place, Rosemount Court and Norvell Lodge.

West Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership (WLHSCP) were willing to say that there had been no staff at these facilities returning positive tests, or outbreaks of over five patients.

However, they refused to give the total number of infections and deaths recorded, or the number of patients who had been transferred back from the St John’s whilst testing positive.

AWLHSCP spokesperson said:“The numbers involved are lower than five, which means there is a reasonable prospect of individuals and their families being identified should the precise numbers be released.

“Because special category data is involved, it would only be lawful to disclose this data if the information has manifestly been made public by the individuals involved, which it hasn’t in this case.”

The Courier also sent a separate request to Public Health Scotland asking for information on the rest of the private homes in the county.

The request revealed that there were another 15 privately-run care homes in West Lothian that had Covid-19 outbreaks between October and December last year.

A Public Health Scotland spokesperson said:“I can confirm Public Health Scotland holds some of the information outlined in your request.

“Between the week commencing October 5 and December 28, 15 care homes in the West Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership recorded patients that had tested positive for Covid-19.“

However, they informed The Courier that they did not have any more data on the number of infections or deaths recorded at these facilities.