The Scottish Government is under pressure to reveal details of suspected coronavirus cases across care homes in a row over “secrecy”.
The Care Inspectorate has an official count of cases but the government agency is using public access rules to keep them being published for up to three months.
It comes after freedom of information laws were tightened as part of emergency legislation passed at Holyrood to address the pandemic.
The Care Inspectorate said there are concerns with the “robustness” of the data, but are still using them to update councils, health boards and the Scottish Government.
Scottish Labour health spokeswoman Monica Lennon said: “These delays and excuses won’t wash.
“If the Care Inspectorate won’t publish the figures they have already passed to the Scottish Government, it falls to ministers to make them public.
Scottish Tory health spokesman Miles Briggs said: “Staff, residents and families are worried sick about the impact of coronavirus in care homes.
“That’s why it’s essential they are given all the necessary information.”
Attempts to get similar figures about GPs self-isolating have been batted away by some health boards, even though doctors are kept up to date with the details.
It’s understood around half of Scotland’s privately-run care homes have suspected cases.
Clusters of cases have caused multiple deaths in some care homes, where there are also concerns over a lack of protective clothing and equipment.
At a press briefing in Edinburgh this afternoon, Scottish Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said 406 care homes have been affected. The government is working with the Care Inspectorate on data which should be published “later this week”.
