£2m for our frontline victims

Payments to families of NHS and social care staff killed by Covid-19

MORE than £2million has been handed to the grieving families of care and NHS staff killed by Covid-19.

The payments have been made in respect of 19 social care workers and ten NHS staff in Scotland who lost their lives while working during the pandemic.

Lump sum payments of £60,000 have been given to the families of the social care staff, while the families of the NHS workers received payouts averaging £106,053.68.

In total, 31 social care and 21 NHS staff in Scotland have died from the virus, meaning payments could yet be made to the remaining bereaved families.

Dr Alan Robertson, who sits on the British Medical Association’s pension committee, said: ‘We campaigned strongly for a death in service scheme to cover all doctors in Scotland and while we were glad the Scottish Government responded in line with our asks, we equally hoped it may never be needed.

‘It is a sombre reminder of the sacrifice health and social care workers have made throughout the pandemic that these payments have had to be made. ‘These statistics don’t tell us about who the payments were made to – but in each and every case it will have followed the death of someone who was much loved by family and friends.

‘While nothing could ever make up for their loss, we can hope through the scheme that loved ones and family do receive at least some financial support through what would be horrendously difficult times.’

Last July, the Government said that a one-off payment of £60,000 would be provided to families of all health and social care workers in Scotland who died in service because of Covid-19.

The rules were made retrospectively effective from March 17, 2020 – the day NHS Scotland was placed on an emergency footing in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The offer was an extension to the NHS Scotland Coronavirus Assurpeople ance Scheme launched in 2020. It promised a lump sum and continued survivor entitlements to families of NHS Scotland workers who did not have equivalent cover through the NHS Pension Scheme.

Under the extension, the £60,000 payment is offered to dependants and next of kin in addition to benefits under the NHS Pension Scheme.

Families of social care workers who die from confirmed or suspected Covid-19 at work are also eligible for the one-off death in service payment, regardless of other pension or life assurance cover.

Alison Bavidge, national director at the Scottish Association of Social Work, said: ‘The Covid-19 pandemic has been an unprecedently challenging time.

‘Social work and social care staff have put their own health and wellbeing at risk, alongside their health colleagues, to ensure that families, individuals and communities have had access to crucial services. The who died took risks working on the frontline and we owe them huge gratitude and respect.’

In January, the Mail revealed the families of social workers who had died of Covid-19 were unable to access £60,000 bereavement payments more than five months after the scheme had been announced.

At that point, 15 families had applied for the payment.

However, a delay in the Government registering the scheme with tax authorities in 2020 meant families had been denied access to the money.

At the time, the Government said the payments would be made in January of this year.

Last year, before the second wave of the pandemic in Scotland, the Mail revealed that more than 5,300 NHS workers and 500 police officers and staff in Scotland had contracted the coronavirus.

More than half of the NHS staff infected by that point – 3,264 cases – were nursing and midwifery staff.

In addition, 447 Scottish police officers and 115 force staff had contracted the virus.

A total of 94 are thought to have been infected while in the course of their duties.

Meanwhile, Ministry of Defence data had shown that at least 2,332 Armed Forces personnel, including 148 north of the Border, had tested positive.

None of the four who had died at that point were based in Scotland.

Most health boards said they did not hold information on how many staff have contracted Covid-19 through their work.

Some said that, at the start of the pandemic, not all staff with symptoms were tested.

‘Staff have put own health at risk’