Scotland has introduced new arrangements to strengthen the clinical oversight of care homes to help providers deal with the Covid-19 crisis.
From today (18 May), clinical and care professionals at NHS boards and local authorities will have a lead role in the oversight for care homes in their area.
Every Health Board and local authority must put in place a multi-disciplinary team comprised of key clinical leads and the area’s Chief Social Work Officer.
The team’s remit will include daily discussions about the quality of care in each care home in their area, with particular focus on implementation of infection prevention and control, and the provision of expert clinical support to residents who have Coronavirus.
The Scottish government's paper ‘Coronavirus (Covid 19) - enhanced professional clinical and care oversight of care homes’ also highlights issues around testing and contact tracing with escalation measures in place if issues cannot be resolved.
The paper builds on planned emergency powers being put forward as a Scottish Government amendment to the Coronavirus (Scotland) (No. 2) Bill ahead of Stage 2 this week.
If passed by the Scottish Parliament, the emergency powers will allow Scottish ministers to step in and take over the running of failing care homes.
Scottish Health Secretary Jeane Freeman (pictured) said: “The coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on Scotland’s social care services. It is of paramount importance that those using services, including residents of care homes and those supporting them, are provided with the best possible care and the Scottish Government is doing everything in its power to ensure that is the case.”
