Health chiefs hold daily strategy talks

Experts are meeting daily to assess the impact of Covid-19 on care homes across NHS Forth Valley.

There are 66 care homes in the NHS Forth Valley area with around 2000 residents.

At a media briefing on Monday (May 18) NHS Forth Valley’s director of public health said the heath board had been aware from the outset of the Covid-19 pandemic of the challenges around care homes.

Dr Graham Foster said:“They are very much on our radar.”

He said they would always aim to protect the vulnerable and the best way to do that was to keep the virus out of care homes but admitted it was“very difficult.”

He said:“When it (Covid-19) does come into a care home it does cause very serious outbreaks.

“They are care homes not hospitals and have soft furnishings. They are a place of care and comfort. You cannot lock the individuals in their rooms.”

Figures published last Wednesday (May 13) by the National Records of Scotland revealed the most common pre-existing medical condition in deaths involving Covid-19 in April was dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

In April there were 2,497 Covid-19 deaths in Scotland and 781 of those who passed away had dementia or Alzheimer’s. The National Record of Scotland also revealed 76 per cent of all deaths involving Covid-19 to date were of people aged 75 or over.

Dr Foster said they were always aware of the importance of testing and NHS Forth Valley was one of the leading health boards in testing health and social care staff. But with 66 care homes, 2000 residents and a huge workforce, Dr Foster said it was a“big, big enterprise to test everyone”.

He explained how a strategy group of experts meet on a daily basis to look at care homes across the whole of Forth Valley.

He praised care home staff who were working hard to arrange activities for their residents and raise morale.