Scots probe into whether Covid-free care homes face greater winter risk

A Scottish Government probe is to examine whether care homes which escaped the "first wave" of Covid-19 earlier this year face a greater risk over the winter.

The Redmill care home in West Lothian suffered a recent outbreak

Interviews will also be undertaken with care home staff and local oversight teams as part of the work of a new review group.

It has been established to evaluate local experiences and responses to "wave two" of Covid outbreaks within care homes in Scotland.

The move comes after five deaths were recorded at a Dumfries care home. A "full contamination" of the Charnwood Lodge Care Home has been carried out after the outbreak came to light.

The terms of reference for the review group states it will look into the second wave in care homes and will also consider the "characteristics and risk factors" of outbreaks in care homes based on the experiences of the first half of the year.

"This approach will ensure appropriate clinical and operational guidance can be prepared for the sector," the terms of reference for the group state.

The review, which will look at the situation from August onwards, will also "explore the hypothesis that care homes that were not affected by Covid to June 2020 are more at risk this winter”.

It will also look at contributory factors, wider lessons and emerging national and international evidence. Recommendations will be made to inform future practice and local arrangements during the second wave of the pandemic to prevent infection and control outbreaks when they do occur across care homes.

The group is to deliver its findings by the end of the month. Among its members are Donald MacAskill of Scottish care, Jennifer Champion, director of public health at NHS Forth Valley and Professor Hazel Borland, nursing director at NHS Ayrshire and Arran.

Almost half (46 per cent) of the 4,301 deaths registered in Scotland where coronavirus was mentioned on the death certificate occurred in care homes, according to official figures released by National records for Scotland up to October 11.

The number of Covid deaths in care homes has fallen dramatically from the peak of 343 weekly deaths at the start of May. They dipped below single figures as the pandemic was brought under control throughout the summer. But they have been gradually increasing recently as the second wave takes a grip in Scotland.

Community Integrated Care, the charity which runs Charnwood Lodge at the centre of the latest outbreak, says it is working with the local authority and public health teams and said additional "robust infection control measures" had been put in place.

Dumfries and Galloway Health and Social Care Partnership, which involves the NHS, the local council and the third and independent sectors, have urged everyone to do their part to limit the spread of the virus.

It comes after another recent outbreak at the Redmill care Home in West Lothian resulted in the deaths of 11 residents. Operators HC-One also revealed over the weekend that a further 35 residents and 20 members of staff have tested positive for Covid-19.

A message from the Editor:Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by Coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.