Highland MSP calls for Scottish Government to get on top of coronavirus testing for care home staff
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Highlands and Islands MSP Edward Mountain has called for the Scottish Government to get on top of coronavirus testing care home staff in the NHS Highland area.
He made the call after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon revealed that only a fifth of care home staff have been routinely tested across the country.
Scottish Government statistics also reveal that of Scotland’s 14 health boards, only 11,195 care home staff have been tested out of an estimated 50,000 workforce.
Mr Mountain said that in the NHS Highland region only 258 staff had been tested up until Sunday (June 7) despite Cabinet Secretary for Health, Jeane Freeman promising last month that every care home worker would be routinely tested.
He said: “The Scottish Government made a pledge three weeks ago that all care home staff would be routinely tested.
“So for only 258 staff across the Highland region to have been tested in the weeks since this pledge does nothing to allay the concerns of care home staff and residents.
“It is clear that NHS Highland has the extra capacity to test more care home staff, so why isn’t this happening?
“It is now time for the Scottish Government to set a firm deadline as to when all care home staff will be tested in NHS Highland.
“Our care home staff are on the frontline fighting against this virus and the least they deserve is to be tested routinely.”
