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Delay in coronavirus testing at Glenisla Care Home "unacceptable" says Tory MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston


By Jonathan Clark

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A CONSERVATIVE MSP has hit out at the Scottish Government over an "unacceptable" wait for coronavirus testing at Glenisla Care Home.

A resident at the Keith care home was confirmed as having coronavirus on May 1 – although the woman tested positive in hospital and no cases were confirmed within the home.

It was confirmed this week, by Health and Social Care Moray, that testing was being offered to all staff and residents at the home.

Staff testing started on Sunday, May 10, while residents were all offered a test yesterday.

Parklands Care Home - Glenisla Care Home, Banff Road, Keith. ..Picture: Daniel Forsyth..
Parklands Care Home - Glenisla Care Home, Banff Road, Keith. ..Picture: Daniel Forsyth..

Jamie Halcro Johnston, Tory MSP for the Highlands and Islands, said the wait was "simply unacceptable".

He added: "It is now clear that, despite a case of covid-19 being confirmed in a resident from Glenisla on May 1, it has taken nearly two weeks for residents and staff to be even promised a test.

"A week had already passed when I questioned the First Minister about this case and she promised to look into it. But it has taken just short of another week for testing to be made available. That is simply unacceptable.

"We know residents are extremely vulnerable to this virus and they must be protected. Part of that is testing and that should be conducted as a matter of urgency when a case is confirmed. That has not happened in this case, and this is a real issue of both confusion and concern across Scotland.

Jamie Halcro Johnston MSP 26 June 2019. Pic - Andrew Cowan/Scottish Parliament.
Jamie Halcro Johnston MSP 26 June 2019. Pic - Andrew Cowan/Scottish Parliament.

"The Scottish Government guidance on testing in care homes was published and then withdrawn, and it clear that in this case at Glenisla, and in others, what is being delivered is very different from what Scottish ministers claim they are delivering.

"I will be raising this further with the Scottish Government, and I just hope that the hard work of all the staff at the Glenisla in responding to the confirmed case has prevented the unacceptable two-week delay in testing having more serious consequences."

Yesterday, Health and Social Care Moray informed SNP MSP Richard Lochhead that testing had started.

They said: "Glenisla are being given test kits so that their nurse can carry out the tests on the residents on Tuesday, May 12, and these will be put to the GP surgery for processing. All residents who give consent will be offered the test.

"All staff who work at Glenisla have also been offered the test and the testing started on Sunday.

"Sixteen staff went to the drive-in testing centres at either Elgin or Huntly on Sunday and a few more are going to do the same today.

"The remaining staff will be tested by a mobile test unit on site at Glenisla."

More Moray news.


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