New powers for government over 'failing' care homes

The Scottish Government wants new powers to intervene when a care home is designated as “failing” its residents during the coronavirus pandemic.

Care homes will be receiving greater oversight from NHS boards and councils.

From tomorrow, new arrangements will be in place to “significantly strengthen oversight” of Scotland’s care homes and will mean ministers or public bodies can “intervene” if there is a “significant risk” to care home residents.

Clinical and care professionals in NHS boards and local authorities will also be given a lead role in ensuring care homes are implementing the correct infection and prevention control measures to stop the spread of the virus.

Scotland’s residential care homes currently account for 57 per cent of deaths from Covid-19 and there have been concerns raised about PPE delays and the potential spread of the virus by staff to vulnerable elderly people.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman has also said she is considering 100 per cent testing of all care home staff and residents, including homes where there have been no cases.

At the daily briefing in Edinburgh today, she said the government would introduce the new powers through amendments to the Coronavirus (Scotland) (No. 2) Bill being considered by the Scottish Parliament.

Every NHS health board and local authority will be required to set up an oversight team to hold daily discussions about the quality of care and infection prevention and control in care homes. The oversight teams will also have the ability to escalate issues to the Care Inspectorate and Scottish Government, who will be able to use the new emergency powers.

Last week, the Care Inspectorate submitted an application to the courts seeking the cancellation of the registration for Home Farm in Skye, where 10 residents have died.

Ms Freeman said there have been instances where care standards during the pandemic have “fallen short”. She added: “These new arrangements will ensure clarity and consistency across the country about the role of health boards and local authorities in helping to keep their residents safe from coronavirus and should be seen alongside other recent action the Scottish Government has taken, including publishing revised guidance for the sector, and amendments to the Coronavirus Bill being discussed at parliament next week.

“I want to assure staff, residents and their families that a safe residential environment in care homes remains our top priority.”

Ms Freeman also said the government was “actively looking” at whether or not to expand testing in care homes to all residents and staff.

Her comments came after Scottish Care chief executive Donald Macaskill told BBC Sunday Politics Scotland that he agreed there should be testing of all care home residents and all staff regularly and not just sample testing.

Ms Freeman said: “The coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on Scotland’s social care services. It is of paramount importance that those using services, including residents of care homes and those supporting them, are provided with the best possible care and the Scottish Government is doing everything in its power to ensure that is the case.

“All organisations including care providers are responsible for effective and safe care in their services and are expected to work closely together and at pace to give effect to these arrangements. While these are unprecedented times, everything possible must be done to protect care home residents and staff from the effects of Covid-19.

“These new arrangements will ensure clarity and consistency across the country about the role of Health Boards and local authorities in helping to keep their residents safe from coronavirus and should be seen alongside other recent action the Scottish Government has taken, including publishing revised guidance for the sector, and amendments to the Coronavirus Bill being discussed at parliament. I want to assure staff, residents and their families that a safe residential environment in care homes remains our top priority.”

Ms Freeman also announced that First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has appointed Professor Marion Bain to the role of deputy chief medical officer on an interim basis. Prof Bain was the Scottish Government's medical adviser for public health reform and most recently worked as the director of infection prevention and control in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

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