The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Care residents at ‘grave risk’
Third of Tayside and Fife virus deaths in residential homes
The lives of care home residents are at “grave risk”, it is being claimed, as new figures show they account for a large proportion of coronavirus deaths in Dundee and Angus.
Dundee has reported 85 deaths from Covid-19 in total, 36 of them (42%) in care homes. In Angus, the rate is higher still with 26 of the 42 deaths (62%) in care homes.
Robert Kilgour, who runs Fife-based Renaissance Care, said private care homes urgently need additional funding or “thousands” more will die.
“With a few honourable exceptions... Scottish local authorities are refusing to fund their independent care homes to the same level as their own local authority facilities,” he said.
“It’s a national scandal and is putting vulnerable people’s lives at grave risk.”
When Mr Kilgour’s concerns were put to Dundee and Angus councils, both sent a “multiagency” press release issued earlier in the week, in which NHS Tayside director of public health Dr Drew Walker said protecting residents in care homes was “vital”.
The lives of residents in private care homes are at “grave risk” without more urgent funding from the Scottish Government and local councils, a major provider from Fife has warned.
Private care homes have been pushed into the “last chance saloon” by the coronavirus pandemic, Robert Kilgour said, adding that residents and staff are “enduring an absolutely torrid time”.
His comments came as it was revealed more than a third of Tayside and Fife coronavirus deaths have been in care homes.
Data released by the National Records of Scotland (NRS) up to April 26 show 38% of deaths across the two health board regions were in care homes, with 108 people dying in these settings since the pandemic began, of 283 registered deaths.
A total of 145 deaths (51%) were in hospitals in Tayside and Fife, with 30 deaths (11%) in homes or non-institutional settings.
This is marginally below the national average which showed that 39% of the 2,272 deaths recorded in Scotland up to April 26 related to care homes
The figures show there were 36 care home deaths in Dundee, 26 in Angus and eight in Perth and Kinross and 38 in Fife. The proportion of deaths in Scotland’s care homes has increased from 33% of overall coronavirus deaths in the week up to April 19, to 39%.
Mr Kilgour, who founded and runs Renaissance Care which has 15 properties, said care homes urgently need additional funding or “thousands” more elderly residents will die.
Warning the care sector is “on the critical list”, he said: “Our brave staff are fighting 24/7 against the coronavirus onslaught, with many working enormous shifts to care for those they consider to be their second families.
“But unless we get desperately needed funding to the frontline of this battle, thousands more elderly people in care homes will die across the UK.
“That is the grim reality facing the care home sector, and the Scottish Government and local authorities need to act now.
“With a few honourable exceptions such as Fife and Dumfries and Galloway councils, Scottish local authorities are refusing to fund their independent care homes to the same level as their own local authority facilities.
“It’s a national scandal and is putting vulnerable people’s lives at grave risk.”
Ms Sturgeon said the proportion of deaths in care homes is “quite obviously distressing” but “broadly in line with the proportion being reported now in many other countries”.
“Care homes have had strict guidance to follow since March 13 and it is incumbent on care home providers whether they are in private sector to follow and to implement that guidance.
“Our NHS directors of public health are also playing a lead role in assessing how each care home in an area is managing infection control, staffing, training, physical distancing and testing.”
The NRS figures include all cases where Covid-19 is mentioned in a person’s death certificate and are distinct from the daily figures produced by Health Protection Scotland (HPS), which have so far included only individuals who have died within 28 days of testing positive for the virus.
This method recorded 2,272 deaths in Scotland linked to Covid-19 as of April 19, compared to the 1,262 fatalities recorded by the HPS system at the time.
Theresa Fyffe, director of the Royal College of Nursing, Scotland, said: “Care homes are at the centre of this pandemic and a clear strategy is needed to protect residents and staff. We need to ensure straight forward, timely access to PPE, testing and additional nurse staffing to ensure residents can continue to receive safe and effective care.”
When Mr Kilgour’s concerns were put to the Tayside local authorities, Dundee, Angus and Perth and Kinross councils all sent a “multi-agency” press release issued earlier in the week.
In it, NHS Tayside director of public health Dr Drew Walker said protecting residents in care homes is “vital” and expressed appreciation for their work.
A Perth and Kinross spokeswoman said they “continue to fund independent sector care homes in Perth and Kinross in line with existing contract arrangements and the terms of the national care home contract.
“We also have an effective partnership in place with care home providers and local colleagues from Scottish Care, to identify what other support can be delivered to ensure they can continue providing this critical service to older people in a time of great challenge.”
Fiona Mckay, head of strategic planning, performance and commissioning at Fife Council, said: “We have supported the care homes with a financial package that allows them to feel secure in these difficult times.”