Jeane Freeman has been accused of a cover-up after finally admitting failings over the transfer of Covid-19 patients from hospitals into care homes.
In a BBC interview, the Health Secretary said the Scottish Government “didn’t take the right precautions” and that it was “a mistake”.
The Sunday Mail revealed the practice last April during deadly Covid outbreaks in care homes.
Two days after our story, Freeman – who will retire from her £112,000-a-year job in May with a £44,347 golden goodbye – announced changes to the rules including two negative test results for hospital discharges.
But the guidance was updated again in October and untested patients continued to be allowed into sites. Almost a third of Scotland’s 10,000 confirmed or suspected Covid-19 deaths have occurred in care homes.
Gary Smith, Scots secretary of the GMB Union, which represents care home workers, reacted angrily to the outgoing MSP’s admission.
He said: “This cements the need for a full public inquiry into Covid-19 and care home deaths.
“The Sunday Mail broke this story last year after GMB members were told by their employer there would be ‘no control over admissions’ to their home and they’d be receiving symptomatic or Covid-19 positive patients from hospitals.
“Branded dangerous by health professionals and unions, it was left unchallenged by the Government and industry.
“Until yesterday, the Scottish Government was hiding behind a report that claimed there was no statistically significant link between hospital discharges and Covid outbreaks in care homes.
“This has not only been a failure, but a cover-up. That’s why the outgoing Health Secretary’s comments are a new low in the failure of our care workers and service users.
“Jeane Freeman attributed that failure to ‘not understanding the social care sector well enough’, a remarkable statement given the crisis in care and the chronic exploitation of its workers were well understood pre-Covid.
“The Scottish Government may have finally owned up to its negligence in the drive to clear hospital beds but the damage done in care is irreversible.”
All care home Covid deaths are to be investigated by the police and there have been calls for government ministers to be interviewed as part of the probe.
George Hillhouse, whose mum Helen Smith, 74, died of suspected Covid at Almond Court Care Home in Drumchapel, Glasgow, said: “Jeane Freeman should be explaining these mistakes to the police – the Government is culpable for this tragedy and it needs to take responsibility.”
Labour MSP Neil Findlay added: “This is one of the biggest scandals of the pandemic. I and other opposition MSPs raised the plight of care home residents and in particular, the discharge of untested hospital patients into care homes.
“Jeane Freeman and Nicola Sturgeon were in denial and attacked us for doing so.
“They blamed clinicians, care home owners, indeed anyone instead of taking responsibility for their policy mistakes.
“This is the arrogance of a government that was prepared to see older people as collateral damage in their Covid strategy.”
