NICOLA Sturgeon has promised that “every aspect” of the Scottish Government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic will be scrutinised by an independent inquiry.
But the First Minister also warned that it could be too soon to launch that probe, saying that we may not be half way through the crisis.
The Tories are demanding the inquiry gets underway this week, following the revelation that at least 37 patients who had tested positive for Covid-19 were discharged from hospital into care homes.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman has previously confirmed that 1431 untested patients were moved to care homes between March 1 and April 21 before testing was mandatory.
But an investigation by the Sunday Post discovered that around 300 patients discharged to care home from hospital were tested for coronavirus during that time period.
Speaking at the Scottish Government’s daily coronavirus briefing, the First Minister said hospitals were advised against inappropriate transfer.
She said it would be part of the remit of the full public inquiry to look at decisions over care homes made by ministers.
Sturgeon said: “Let me be very clear – as I have been many times before – that proper scrutiny of all and every aspect of our response to Covid, including of course in care homes, is really essential.
“And that scrutiny will and must include consideration of whether – based on what we knew at each stage – the guidance in place was both appropriate and properly implemented. And that of course is why we have committed to a public inquiry in due course.
“However, I want to again be clear also that, while there will undoubtedly be lessons to learn when a new virus is encountered – and we take that very seriously – care was taken to put guidance in place that was considered to be appropriate at every stage.
“For example, from mid-March that included guidance requiring clinical screening of patients being transferred from hospitals to care homes, to guard against inappropriate transfer. It also advised social isolation within care homes.
“However, it is right that all of this is properly scrutinised in the inquiry that will be instructed in due course.”
The Scottish Tories say the inquiry needs to start this week.
Donald Cameron, the party’s health spokesperson, said “waiting is not an option”.
He added: “The horrendous decision to send dozens of Covid patients to care homes cannot be swept under the carpet any longer. Families of victims have been left in the dark about how their loved ones died – and they still don’t know the full picture.
“There can be no more delays and secrecy. Light must be shone on how this scandal happened immediately.
“The SNP must begin an inquiry into how Covid patients were sent to care homes – and it has to start this week.”
Sturgeon stressed that it was important to remember that “we’re not through this pandemic”.
She added: “We may not even be halfway through this pandemic.
“This virus is still a day-to-day threat to us, which is why it’s really important ... to keep really focused on what we’ve got to do today and tomorrow and next week, obviously learning as we go – but don’t take our eye off that ball in order to become focused on an inquiry.”
Meanwhile, in a letter to Lord Advocate James Wolffe QC, Scottish Labour’s health spokesperson Monica Lennon urged him to look into the transfer of the 37 patients.
A unit set up in May is already investigating the number of deaths in care homes – which account for around 46% of all Scotland’s Covid fatalities.
Lennon has asked the Lord Advocate if the group will be looking into these revelations.
She said: “Care homes deaths during the pandemic have been the crisis within a crisis.
“Tragically, thousands of older people have died and there must be accountability for decisions that led to the virus infiltrating care homes in the first place.
“It will be extremely distressing to impacted families to learn that Covid-19 positive patients were knowingly discharged from hospital to care homes, and the least they deserve is a commitment that this will be thoroughly investigated.”
She added: “That’s why I’m asking the Lord Advocate and Police Scotland to confirm what plans are in place to examine how this happened and whether any legal action needs to be taken.”
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