THE family of a 91-year-old woman who is resident in a Scottish care home have said she is a “sitting duck” after a delay in being given a Covid-19 booster jag.
Katie Robertson, whose grandmother Christina McKay stays at Crofthead Care Home in Fauldhouse, West Lothian, said around a third of the residents there had already contracted Covid and there had been a number of deaths.
However, she said the home had been closed to visitors for almost two months and the family had been told it had to be clear of the virus for a set period before someone could go in to deliver booster jags.
“My grandmother is a sitting duck waiting to catch Covid and I am outraged that unaffected residents are being denied their basis health needs during a global pandemic,” said Robertson.
“Their advice seems to be just to keep everyone in their rooms and wait until it stops, but it's been seven or eight weeks now and they're not managing to contain it in order for there to be two weeks to get people in to do the vaccinations.
“Meanwhile, 13 of 35 residents have had Covid-19 and there have been fatalities.”
Robertson said there was a staff nurse working at Crofthead, who had told another family that she was trained to give the Covid booster, but was not allowed to do so in the care home.
“They have a staff nurse in place, who’s there every day. That seems to be the crux of the issue that she can't just … give the booster.
“That would pose no risk to anyone because she's there anyway. The common sense approach doesn't seem to be working.
“Elderly people should be being prioritised and not left to see if they survive this outbreak."
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The family said they had written to the West Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP), the Care Inspectorate and their MSP Fiona Hyslop, but say they are becoming increasingly worried for the 91-year-old, who has dementia.
A spokesperson for the Care Inspectorate said: “The covid vaccine booster programme is a matter for the NHS. The Care Inspectorate expects the needs of people experiencing care to be met and their rights respected. Clinical decisions about vaccines are made by the NHS. We are satisfied that this care home has kept us appropriately and consistently informed in the sad event of the death of any resident."
West Lothian HSCP said they were aware of the situation at Crofthead and were working with its owners to provide advice and support.
“Both the West Lothian HSCP and the care home owners will continue to provide information to residents and their families in relation to their care, and the arrangements for their vaccine booster,” said a spokesperson.
“We cannot discuss individual residents but every effort is being made to ensure all care home residents receive their vaccine booster as quickly as possible. The vast majority of care home residents in West Lothian have received their booster.
“In line with the guidance set out by Public Health Scotland, when outbreaks occur in care homes we must minimise the movement in and out of the home to protect the residents and staff which can, unfortunately, result in some residents having to wait longer to receive their vaccine.”
Hyslop, who represents the Linlithgow constituency, told The National: “This is a very serious matter and constituents have already contacted me raising their concerns about access to these important booster vaccinations.
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“While I appreciate the hard work of NHS Lothian to deliver both the Covid and flu vaccination programmes and understand the need to protect NHS staff who administer the vaccines to care home residents, it is also hugely important that those who need booster jabs have access to them and so I have contacted NHS Lothian directly to take up this issue on behalf of my constituents.”
Crofthead is one of 10 care homes owned by the London-based Carewise Homes, including one in Broughty Ferry, Dundee.
The manager of the facility in West Lothian, Marcia Stewart, said she had escalated the case, but would not tell us to whom. She said: “Leave it with me and let me speak to the person I was discussing it with and if they wish to make any comments they’ll come back to you.”
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