Coronavirus Scotland: Surge in care home deaths branded ‘national scandal’ as Nicola Sturgeon comes under fire
SPIRALLING care home deaths were last night branded a national scandal as OAP hubs became the new epicentre of Scotland’s coronavirus fatalities.
A devastating 338 bug tragedies were registered at care facilities last week — including 24 heroes at Erskine homes for ex-military— compared to 276 in hospitals.
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Aberdeen Uni microbiologist Professor Hugh Pennington said: “You can’t say it’s not a scandal because it was preventable.”
Nicola Sturgeon has now been slammed after refusing to concede her strategy for stopping coronavirus in care homes is flawed — despite the soaring death toll of residents.
The Scottish Government was accused of failing to prepare properly for the crisis, even though early warning signs suggested a virus “tsunami”.
Professor Pennington and rival politicians slated the administration’s testing regime, lack of protective gear for staff and for letting patients be moved from hospitals into homes without screening.
And Age Scotland’s policy head Adam Stachura said: “Coronavirus is ripping the life out of people well before their time and it’s not something we should just accept.
“While efforts of staff have been exemplary, the nature of conditions in care homes makes residents particularly vulnerable. It’s not unexpected, but it is desperately sad.”
But the First Minister told her daily virus briefing: “I would hesitate to say we need a new strategy. But that’s not to say we don’t need to continue to do different things and learn from experience.”
Latest National Records of Scotland figures show 2,272 Covid-related deaths were registered up to April 26, with 886 fatalities in care homes and 1,188 in hospitals.
Week-by-week numbers in NHS facilities have dropped in the past fortnight from an apparent peak of 357 to 276.
But at the same time care home deaths have risen to 338, outstripping the NHS total of 276 in the seven days to Sunday.
Coronavirus deaths across the UK stand at 26,097 including 765 overnight. After a change in how the UK Government collects figures, the total includes 3,811 deaths in care homes and the wider community in the outbreak.
Scottish Government figures show that as of today 1,415 people have died in hospital with the virus, up 83. There are 161,145 positive UK cases, with 11,034 here.
It emerged 24 military heroes had died at Erskine Care Homes, which has residences in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Bishopton, Renfrewshire. Twelve died at Erskine Park and 11 at The Erskine Home, both in Bishopton. One veteran lost their life at the capital hub.
Four staff members also tested positive for Covid-19 and a further 200 are isolating with symptoms, or because family members are potentially carrying the virus.
Nurse Linda Verlaque, daughter of ex-merchant navy engineer Bill Campbell, 86, who died on Easter Sunday, said: “It’s distressing that the illness is targeting the elderly.”
So far during the pandemic 90 Erskine residents have been treated in isolation after showing symptoms. The shock toll in care homes has sparked anger after repeated warnings that not enough was being done to quash the virus in residences.
We told earlier this month how 300 people stuck in bug-hit hospitals were discharged to care homes in a drive to free up wards at the outset of the crisis, despite no general policy of testing them first.
Prof Pennington said it “beggars belief” that anyone was admitted to a care home without being screened for coronavirus.
He said: “For that to happen was just plain wrong. The (300) figure, it’s not a vast number to test. You test on Monday, wait until Wednesday and if the result is clear, okay they are free to go.
“They’re unlikely to be a source of the virus but if you haven’t tested them you don’t know.
“These are individuals who have to be shown to be free of the virus before they go anywhere near a care home.”
And he said of the rising care home deaths: “You can only say it wasn’t a scandal if it happened by an act of god, or it was a tsunami which couldn’t be predicted.
“This is not. This is a tsunami rolling in when you had five or six weeks’ warning.”
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Health Secretary Jeane Freeman only introduced blanket virus testing for new care home residents being admitted from hospitals last week.
Ms Sturgeon also insisted the high number of deaths in care homes was “not something unique to Scotland or to the UK”.
The First Minister was quizzed on why the toll in residences was rocketing when there is spare intensive care capacity.
She said: “Often intensive care won’t be the best place for somebody who is old and frail. Ventilation will not be best because of the impact that has on your body.”
Chief Medical Officer Dr Gregor Smith backed her, saying: “Often it’s not appropriate for the care to be provided in an ICU, to ventilate someone, particularly when they are old and particularly frail.”
Ms Sturgeon admitted close proximity of elderly residents with other health conditions raises the likelihood of the virus spreading.
Scottish Labour health spokeswoman Monica Lennon said the situation was “a national emergency” and suggested the temporary NHS Louisa Jordan hospital in Glasgow should be used to treat residents.
And Scots Tory leader Jackson Carlaw said: “Scores of elderly people are dying every day in homes.
“They need action now, not merely a suggestion that things are being monitored and considered.”
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Meanwhile, Ms Sturgeon reminded care home firms of their “responsibility” to residents after criticism from Renaissance Care homes chief Robert Kilgour, who called for more public cash as providers felt “abandoned”.
She revealed talks were ongoing with trade body Scottish Care on protective gear and finances.
She said she was not trying to “offload” responsibility but added: “Many care home providers are private businesses. They have a responsibility to make sure they are providing the support and implementing all of the guidance.”
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