Care homes emergency deepens with 100 new virus cases in ONE day
... as 10th resident dies in Skye home at centre of probe
THE coronavirus crisis in care homes deepened yesterday after almost 100 more cases were confirmed across the sector.
There have now been more than 5,000 cumulative cases of suspected Covid-19 in residential facilities, according to the latest Scottish Government figures.
Just under half of all coronavirus fatalities registered in Scotland during the pandemic relate to deaths in care homes.
The total death rate in care homes, including those non-virus-related, is more than double the five-year average.
It comes as a tenth resident died at the home at the centre of a Covid-19 outbreak on the Isle of Skye.
At Portree’s Home Farm care home, all but four of the 34 residents have contracted the virus, as well as 29 staff.
Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said ‘serious mistakes’ had been made over testing, personal protective equipment (PPE) and government guidance to protect workers and residents. He also accused the Scottish Government of moving too slowly to protect residents of care homes.
Skye MP and SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford described the scale of the tragedy at the Skye care home as ‘beyond comprehension’.
Figures released yesterday show there have been 5,069 cumulative cases of suspected Covid-19 in care homes – an increase of 94 on the previous day.
Meanwhile, a weekly report produced by the National Records of Scotland (NRS) revealed on May 13 that 45 per cent of Covid-19 deaths registered in Scotland to date related to care homes.
In a bid to track fatalities, it was announced last week that the death of every care home resident in Scotland who had fallen victim to coronavirus would be investigated by prosecutors. A dedicated unit has been set up by the Crown Office and it will also examine the Covid19 deaths of NHS and care home staff, emergency crews and public transport workers.
The unit will determine whether to hold fatal accident inquiries, and the possibility of criminal prosecutions was not ruled out.
Care home chiefs have said inquiries must also look at how the national policy on PPE and testing affected the death toll.
Last night, Mr Leonard said: ‘We owe an enormous debt to the frontline care staff that have been battling to keep the most vulnerable in our society safe during this pandemic. Unfortunately, serious mistakes have been made over testing, PPE and government guidance, and as a result even those residents unaffected by Covid-19 have been put in danger.
‘The Scottish Government has moved too slowly to act in our care homes.’
His accusations come after guidance was issued last week to care home bosses, advising them that staff who had tested positive for Covid-19 were allowed to continue working with residents until the end of their shifts. The document, published by Health Protection Scotland (HPS), states that staff would be allowed to work only with residents who were also infected and must continue to wear PPE.
At Home Farm – owned by HCOne, the UK’s largest care home operator – coronavirus is already believed to have spread between staff and patients.
NHS Highland is helping run the home and the Care Inspectorate has launched legal action due to ‘serious and significant concerns’ about the outbreak.
Home Farm victims include 103year-old Ina Beaton, who died from Covid-19 on Monday. It is believed she contracted the virus just days after her birthday at the start of this month.
Mr Blackford has welcomed the Care Inspectorate’s intervention and said: ‘This is a black period for Skye, but there has to be full transparency over what has gone on at the home. The scale of the tragedy that is unfolding at the home is beyond comprehension.’
A spokesman for HC-One said the company was ‘doing its utmost to support’ families and residents.
Regarding comments from Mr Leonard, the Scottish Government said: ‘Early action was taken to protect care home staff and residents, including additional deliveries of PPE and guidance was issued in March advising of measures to prevent the spread of the virus and prepare care homes.’
NRS data, published on Wednesday, showed the proportion of Covid-19 deaths in care homes has risen over time but has decreased slightly on the previous week.
The number of deaths in care homes fell for a second week, by 76 to 238.
‘Serious mistakes have been made over testing’