PATIENTS SENT TO CARE HOMES WITHOUT TESTS
Report does not find hospital discharge link to outbreaks
ALMOST 1000 elderly people were discharged from hospital in Greater Glasgow to care homes in March and April this year – most of whom were not tested for coronavirus as the pandemic was reaching its peak.
A report published by Public Health Scotland found there were 4000 people across Scotland moved from a hospital to a care home between March 12 and April 21, and eight out of 10 were not tested for coronavirus.
In Greater Glasgow hospitals, the figure was 665 people discharged in March and another 317 in April.
The report found of the 650 across Scotland who were tested before April 21, there were 78 who received a positive result while still in hospital.
The Scottish Government highlighted the report, repeating the finding that the risk associated with hospital discharge was not “statistically significant”.
Instead, it was found that the size of the care home carried a greater statistical weight.
The report stated: “Hospital discharge is associated with an increased risk of an outbreak when considered on its own.
“However, after accounting for care home size and other care home characteristics, the estimated risk of an outbreak associated with hospital discharge reduces and not statistically significant.”
It found in care homes with more than 90 residents, 90.2% had an outbreak, compared to just 3.7% of homes with fewer than 20 residents.
It stated: “The care home characteristic most strongly associated with care home outbreaks was care home size. Risk of an outbreak increased progressively with care home size.”
It found care homes with more than 90 registered places had 17 times the risk of an outbreak compared to care homes with fewer than 20 beds.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “The analysis does not find statistical evidence that hospital discharges of any kind were associated with care home outbreaks.
“Nothing in it detracts from the tragedy of the deaths that have occurred in care homes over the course of the pandemic, and nothing ever will detract from the heartbreak of those bereaved.”
Opposition parties said the discharges should not have happened.
Labour health spokeswoman Monica Lennon said: “Covid- 19 positive or untested patients should never have been discharged from hospital into care homes, but Scottish Government guidance from March 13 left the door open for this to occur.”
Conservative health spokesman Donald Cameron said: “Today’s overdue report reveals a scandalous dereliction in the provision of public health to some of the most vulnerable people in our society.”
Clinical guidance changed on testing after April 21 and 93% of the 1605 people discharged into care homes were tested.
Of these, 1215 tested negative and 278 tested positive. Of those who tested positive, 233 had a negative test result prior to discharge.
Between March 1 and June 21 the report stated there were 1915 Covidrelated deaths in 321 care homes.
The latest daily statistics showed 28 new deaths registered.
There were 1202 new positive tested cases, with 451 in Greater Glasgow and 292 Lanarkshire. There were 1117 in hospital, up by 17, and 85 in intensive care, up by three.
TOTAL NEW CASES IN GREATER GLASGOW 451