A care home boss has sounded the alarm over delays in the coronavirus testing system after a tiny number of staff received their results last week.
Tony Banks of Balhousie Care said only six results were returned from 846 staff last week, following demands put on the system by pupils getting screened.
He told the Sunday Post: “Our staff are anxious, our managers are in the dark and our residents are at risk of being exposed to asymptomatic staff.”
Nearly half of all coronavirus deaths in Scotland have occurred in care homes and the SNP Government is under pressure over decisions made in the early days of the pandemic.
Patients were not only discharged from hospitals to care homes without being tested, but some were transferred after receiving a positive result.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman announced weekly testing of all 50,000 care home staff, but the target has repeatedly failed to be met.
It has now emerged that extra pressures on the testing system brought about by the reopening of schools may be having a knock on impact on care homes.
Nicola Sturgeon said on Thursday that nearly 17,500 children had been tested across Scotland over the past week, with only 49 coming back as positive.
Banks, chairman of Balhousie, which runs 26 homes, said: “Between Monday and Friday of this week we had 846 staff members tested and by the end of Friday only six results had been returned.
“That’s a cruel waiting game to play on anyone, and it’s unacceptable.”
He added: “We want an assurance from the government that efficient weekly testing and results are given urgent priority. The lives of society’s most vulnerable depend on it.”
Robert Kilgour of the Renaissance Care Group also told the newspaper:
“The situation is at times frustrating beyond belief when we are trying our best to keep everyone safe.
“It took months for the Scottish Government to finally get the once-a-week testing in place for our 1,100 staff, and we were getting results back within 48 hours, which was acceptable.
“However, the moment they allowed schools to re-open, we’ve been beset with problems about trying to get test results back in time so we can keep everyone safe - and suddenly it’s taking up to seven days.”
Gary Smith of the GMB Scotland trade union, which represents care home staff, said: “This is a shameful reflection of how these key workers are valued.”
