LOCAL NEWS OCTOBER 25 2023
Written by MartyM on 25 October 2023
Skye care home resident left to starve – Covid 19 inquiry to hear grave claims
Care home residents on Skye may have been left to starve while families may have been pressured into signing do not resuscitate notices on behalf of their loved ones during the Covid-19 pandemic
Those are the grave claims expected to heard during the Scottish Covid-19 public inquiry, according a lawyer representing bereaved Skye families.
Eleven people who were residents of the then privately-owned Home Farm nursing home in Portree, died after testing positive for Covid-19 during the pandemic
Speaking on behalf of the Skye group during the second day of the Scottish Covid-19 inquiry, Shelagh McCall KC also
said there was a lack of or no cross-contaminating measure in place to prevent staff spreading the virus to residents. Staff were witnessed attending work while displaying symptoms.”
She went on to reveal: “Once there was a Covid-19 outbreak in a care home, bereaved relatives were faced by a total lack of transparency of what was happening.
“Some learned of an outbreak from Facebook rather than from care management or staff.”
She said that inquiry would later hear that were deficiencies in infection control, basic cleaning and hygiene.
Adding that in one home, the alcohol-based cleaning products were lock in a cupboard, to which staff were not permitted access by management, instead they cleaned using air fresher.
Home Farm nursing home was managed by private operators HC-One during the period in question before being purchased by NHS Highland in the autumn 2020.
Winter deaths hit 30-year hit
Winter deaths registered in Scotland have reached the highest number in more than 30 years according to data from the National Records of Scotland.
24,427 deaths were registered in Scotland between December 2022 and March 2023, representing the highest number of winter deaths in over thirty years, 1989/90.
The cause of death with the largest seasonal increase was dementia and Alzheimer’s disease accounting for 640 additional deaths. There were 310 additional deaths as a result of COVID-19 during this this time
One-off payment to support those moving from care system
Plans for a new one-off payment of £2,00 to support young people transitioning from the care system into adulthood have been announced today by First Minister Humza Yousaf
The proposal which will be co-designed with care experienced people will aim to support people from the care system to move into more independent living
First Minister Humza Yousaf said that the one-off payment would provide much-needed support to Care experienced people – who over one and a half times more likely to experience financial difficulties and have more than double the chance of experiencing homelessness, mainly before age 30.
Skye councillor submits caravan park planning app
Skye and Raasay Highland Councillor Ruraidh Stewart has submitted a planning application to change the use of croft land in Balmacara to a caravan site for holiday.
The site if approved will accommodate seven caravans and would comprise new road access, parking, drainage and water connections on land north east of Willowbank, the Square at Balmacara
In post published via social media, the Lochalsh Community Council today stated that it wished to encouraging anyone with comments or concerns to submit them via the Highland Council website
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