The Labour group are renewing calls for testing and safety procedures to be put in place at care homes to allow for safe visiting.
It comes after MSP Monica Lennon backed the ‘Anne’s Law’ campaign, reported on in the News.
Named in honour of East Kilbride care home resident Anne Duke, the campaign calls for nominated persons to be given the same access rights to care homes as staff.
Former therapist Anne suffers from early onset dementia and her family have been battling for months to have indoor visits with daughter Natasha and devoted husband, Campbell.
In December, Councillor Margaret Walker, chairwoman of the local Labour group, seconded a movement for improved testing at homes.
She said: “Some people have not seen their families and loved ones since March 2020.
“Over the past 10 months, national restrictions have meant people living in residential care homes have not been able to have visits from their family members and loved ones in the same way as pre-COVID.
“Under our Human Rights Act, public authorities have a legal duty to act compatibly with our human rights in all they do, which applies when a resident’s care is funded or arranged by the NHS or a local authority.
“So in services such as care homes, they must respect, protect and fulfil people’s human rights in their work, including service delivery, policies and decision-making.
“The right to see family and loved ones has not been respected in our care homes in the highest tier areas across the UK for the last 10 months.”
Only essential visits have been allowed at the discretion of care home managers, which Councillor Walker says “is not good enough”.
She added: “Care home residents and staff are in the process of being vaccinated yet we still do not have guidance on how this will impact on visiting.
“We still don’t have a test and trace system in place for residents, staff or visitors, which would help break the isolation that is so damaging to people’s physical and mental health.
“This could be the difference between families being torn apart for months again.
“The Scottish Government needs to recognise the rights of older people, review and implement further testing regimes for visitors, residents and staff, combining high standards of infection control.
“They also need to meet their vaccination targets – that is not happening.”
