Care home deaths are a major concern

It has been acknowledged from the outset of this crisis that the elderly and those with underlying health conditions are particularly susceptible to Covid-19. Scotland’s care home network is full of residents fitting that exact profile. But efforts to protect that population have been piecemeal.

Prior to lockdown, some private care groups took decisions to prevent families from visiting their loved ones.

It was a position that drew criticism but in hindsight it was the type of bold, pro-active measure that was needed to offer the best possible protection to residents.

But long after lockdown began many care homes – both public and private – struggled with issues as fundamental as a lack of personal protective equipment for staff, adding further uncertainty into an already heightened risk profile.

New data yesterday showed that Covid-19 claimed more victims in care homes in Scotland in the past week than it did in our hospitals.

During this crisis, more than a third of the deaths sustained in Tayside and Fife have occurred in care settings.

Nicola Sturgeon yesterday acknowledged concerns around high mortality within the care home sector.

However, the first minister said the experience in Scotland was not unique, with other countries reporting similar death rates.

In mid-march, guidance was issued to care home operators by the government and checks instituted to ensure compliance.

Relatives of those who have lost loved ones in care homes – and that is now more than 100 families in Tayside and Fife – may well be questioning whether the guidance is tough enough and the checks stringent enough.

Robert Kilgour, the owner of Renaissance Care which operates 15 care homes in Scotland, has pointed to funding being a major issue for independent homes.

His suggestion that many local authorities are failing to pass on funding designated for homes, and that private facilities are not receiving the same support as publiclyowned facilities, demands investigation.

If true, it must be rectified swiftly.

Care home residents already face major challenges. Society must not add to them.