Nicola Sturgeon challenged to do 'whatever it takes' to allow family carers to visit care home residents

She was challenged on the issue by Willie Rennie

Nicola Sturgeon was challenged to do "whatever it takes" to allow families to visit care home residents

Nicola Sturgeon was challenged to do whatever it takes to allow family members who care for elderly or vulnerable relatives into care homes after being told of a daughter who had not been able to hug her mother for five months.

Willie Rennie, the Scottish Liberal Democrats’ leader, asked the First Minister why she was “opposed” to the restrictions in place which stop people such as Cathie Russell from seeing their families.

The question followed a demonstration outside of the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday, organised by Care Home Relatives Scotland, who called on the Scottish Government to lift restrictions imposed on family visits to care homes.

Ms Sturgeon reacted with frustration at the tone of Mr Rennie’s question, stating she was not “willingly or deliberately” trying to keep families away from loved ones.

She added that the health secretary Jeane Freeman would be meeting with some representatives of the families affected on Friday and said she understood visiting people in care homes is a “fundamental part of health and wellbeing” of those living in care homes.

The First Minister said the restrictions in place are to protect care homes and their residents and to protect lives.

Mr Rennie said he understood the issues which are “at stake” and said following discussions with the national clinical director Jason Leitch and the health secretary he understood a lifting of restrictions have been “under consideration” for weeks.

He said: "To be frank, Cathie can’t wait any longer, she needs change now.

"So extend testing, give her PPE, check her temperature, make her self-isolate, do whatever it takes to keep them safe, but let her in.”

Ms Sturgeon replied: “I will try to take decisions that strike the balance between allowing families to have normal interaction with their loved ones which I absolutely understand but also make sure we are doing everything appropriate to protect people in care homes.

"These are not easy decisions and it is my job with the health secretary across the government to take them.

"We will try to do them taking the best advice and taking the best factors in balancing those and get to a position both where we can have families able to visit normally in care homes.”

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