CONSTANCE CALLS FOR CARE HOMES INVESTIGATION

CONSTANCE CALLS FOR CARE HOMES INVESTIGATION

As the country begins to consider life beyond lockdown including how care services operate, Angela Constance MSP has written to the Scottish Government calling for an investigation into the differential impact of covid 19 deaths across care homes in the public, private and third sector. 

The Almond Valley MSP in her letter to the Health Secretary, Jeane Freeman, specifically asked if the Scottish Government is prepared to “investigate if there is any differential impact on the number of Covid-19 deaths in Care Homes across the public, third and private sectors“.   Ms Constance also asked that the findings be published alongside a plan of action.  

The MSP’s concerns are rooted in statistics regularly published by the Scottish Government, most recently on the 27st May, showing that a higher proportion of larger adult care homes have suspected covid19 cases.   

As of the 21 May 17 % percentage of adult care homes with 10 beds or less have had suspected covid19 cases, by contrast, 91% of adult care homes with more than 60 beds have had suspected covid19 cases.   

To date the percentage of adult care homes that have seen a suspected case of Covid19 by sector is as follows; the voluntary/not for profit sector 38%, the public sector 57%, and the private sector 69%. 

Commenting further Angela Constance MSP said, 

“In responding to the pandemic, the government is working with the care sector as it is currently constructed. However, as we look to a new life beyond lockdown, there are some fundamental questions to be asked and answered, about how we best care for our most vulnerable yet cherished citizens. 

“Scottish Government statistics show a clear relationship between the size of the care home and the suspected presence of Covid.  Going forward it will be imperative to interrogate which sector prefers larger care homes and why, as well as a need for transparency about the tragic loss of life in care homes sector by sector.  That’s why I have written to the Scottish Government seeking further investigation into care home deaths. 

“This pandemic has shone a light on serious concerns about some private care homes and while I would not want to tar all private providers with the same brush, profiteering at the expense of care cannot be tolerated.  

“In the Scotland I seek we all have a responsibility to care for and protect older people and to hold each other to account.” 

ENDS 

Coronavirus (COVID-19): adult care homes - additional data 

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