NHS volunteers honoured for efforts
VOLUNTEERS who answered the call at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic have been thanked by NHS staff.
Guards of honours took place across Glasgow to pay tribute to those who played an integral part in the city’s fight against the virus.
Staff and patients at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, and Royal Alexandra Hospital, in Paisley, lined up in to celebrate the hard work and dedication of volunteers.
Recognised by their bright red T-shirts, volunteers have helped ensure NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) has been able to continue delivering personcentred care to patients. While many staff are now returning to their previous roles outside the health service, a number have remained in post as the health board continues scaling up and restarting services. there was a degree of pressure exercised on care homes to make themselves available to relieve the NHS at a point at which there was a risk.”
The programme reports that by May 1, more than half of all Scottish care homes had coronavirus within them and hundreds of residents were dead or dying.
It was at this point that mass testing for residents and staff was announced.
Infectious disease scientist Babak Javid says he sounded the alarm about care home staff not wearing masks.
Mr Javid said: “There is an awful lot of evidence that was available by March that made on the balance of probabilities, that masks are going to be helpful.”
At the end of June, the Scottish Government changed the guidance and mask wearing was made compulsory for health and social care workers.
In a statement, the Scottish Government said: “This is the biggest public health crisis we have faced in our lifetimes and the impact of care homes around the world has been profound. It is right and proper that decisions taken during this process face scrutiny in the fullness of time but we are committed to protecting life and protecting people from this virus, and all our efforts are going towards doing everything we can to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 in Scotland.
“On June 29, the extension for mask wearing was made for all health care workers delivering direct patient care at all times during their shift. “
A spokesperson for Whitehills Care Home said: ‘We have apologised to Mrs Snakenburg’s family for failing to quickly remove used PPE from her room during the Covid crisis.
“Our infection control procedures have since been fully reviewed and endorsed by the Care Inspectorate, which has praised our high standards of hygiene.”
Disclosure: The Care Home Scandal will be shown on BBC One Scotland tonight at 10.45pm and afterwards on BBC iPlayer.