Coronavirus in Moray and Aberdeenshire: MSP raises concerns about care home testing
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An MSP has raised serious concerns over the availability of Covid-19 testing for both residents and staff in care homes.
Jamie Halcro Johnston, whose ward includes Moray, states he was contacted on Tuesday by worried relatives of a resident in the Glenisla Care Home in Keith.
This happened after it was made public the day before that a Glenisla resident had tested positive for coronavirus a week ago.
This patient tested positive the day after being transferred to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for a separate health matter.
Mr Halcro Johnston states he spoke to a representative of Glenisla Care Home yesterday morning.
The MSP said: "A care home in my region has raised concerns with me that, despite a resident testing positive for Covid-19 only a day after being transferred from the home to hospital in Aberdeen, they have not been able to have staff and residents tested.
"A week after it was confirmed that a resident from the home has Covid-19, the care home’s management are still being told by NHS Grampian that there are no plans to test residents and staff, claiming test kits are not available.
"With the tragic toll Covid-19 has taken on care homes across Scotland, and with a serious outbreak developing in Skye, this highlights the vulnerability of residents.
"Nicola Sturgeon needs to act quickly on this and establish why testing hasn’t taken place, why care home management were told testing kits were not available, and whether this is a wider issue across the Highlands and Islands and across the country.
"This is a serious situation, and we need to see a greater sense of urgency from the Scottish Government and its agencies."
An NHS spokesperson stated that new guidance had been issued regarding testing care home patients on Saturday, May 2.
Care home staff and residents who are not exhibiting any symptoms are now being tested on a "risk-assessed basis".
Referring to Glenisla, the spokesperson said: "Testing has taken place within the home as per Health Protection Scotland guidance at the time.
"We were in daily contact with the home on May 1 to May 4 and all the appropriate advice and support has been provided.
"Our next scheduled call with the home will take place today.
"The new guidance issued on May 2, which included testing asymptomatic residents and staff at care homes, is being implemented in Grampian on a risk assessed basis.
"We are closely monitoring the situation at Glenisla in line with this and are happy to discuss this with the home during our call today."
"We have spoken directly to the constituent who raised concerns on this matter to offer further reassurance."
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