Highlands and Islands MSP Rhoda Grant asks health secretary to simplify government guidelines for care homes on end of life visits during the coronavirus pandemic
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Labour MSP Rhoda Grant has written to Scotland's health secretary asking for care home guidelines on end of life visits to be simplified.
She claims the rules on such visits during the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak are not easy to understand.
Mrs Grant said: “My head was in pieces trying to figure it out. I was using searches and trying to find documents. Imagine if you were working in a care home and trying to do 100 things and read all this confusing guidance?”
In the letter to health secretary Jeane Freeman she called the guidance as it stands "absolutely abysmal".
Mrs Grant was prompted to take action after being contacted by constituent Mandie Harris who said she was refused the chance to be by her husband Colin’s side when he died of Covid-19 at the virus-hit Home Farm Care Home on Skye.
She said: “Mrs Harris phoned me distraught on the day that he died. She said there had been a last-minute confusion which meant she was not able to be at his side when he passed on.
"She was standing outside his room, her daughter was with him, they asked permission from the care nurse to swap places but as I understand it in the time that it took for the nurse to seek permission for this Mr Harris passed away.
“I feel people shouldn’t be stopped from visiting their relatives on their deathbeds. A home with enough staff and PPE could have safely allowed this, but the guidelines governing this area is totally unclear.
"If a staff member needs to refer to that at a point where the end of life is close they are not going to be able to understand it, or be able to make a decision. It’s absolutely ridiculous.”
Earlier today, the owners of Home Farm Care Home in Portree were given another two weeks to satisfy an sheriff that they have made improvements in the wake of the deaths of 10 residents during the coronavirus pandemic.
Mrs Grant, who has been in touch with the Care Inspectorate to confirm inspections are being undertaken regularly at the facility, said: "I know this is a difficult and distressing time for residents, their loved ones and staff at the home.
"It is disappointing that this court case continues to rumble on, but the welfare of the residents has to be at the forefront.”
Related article: Owners of Home Farm Care Home given another two weeks
