Covid, Care Homes and Hospitals
Almost 4000 people died with Covid-19 in care homes across Scotland, according to data released on Wednesday that was previously being withheld.https://t.co/w6dVw2Tgqq
— STV News (@STVNews) May 26, 2021
STV reports on the number of Covid related deaths in Scotland's care homes.
The figures include hospices, but not NHS hospitals where the number of Covid related deaths and the rate of Covid acquired hospital infection must be hugely significant to the overall picture.
Secrecy, Scotland and Covid Deaths (May 21, 2021)
The Herald reports on the secrecy surrounding Covid related deaths in Scotland's care homes - and how the release of this information was fiercely resisted by a range of organisations including the Scottish Government.
Sounds like yet another case of the Scottish Government saying one thing but doing another over freedom of information - as a means of avoiding wider public scrutiny.
Seems to me the same information on hospital related Covid deaths ought to be publicly available because the public are able to make sensible judgements about what this data means, instead of being treated like children and being kept in the dark.
Covid-Linked Care Home Deaths (April 19, 2021)
An excellent piece of journalism from BBC Scotland highlighting Covid-linked care home deaths across Scotland.
I wonder when we can expect similar information to be provided on Covid-linked NHS deaths and the incidence of hospital acquired Covid?
Government Hates Transparency (May 24, 2021)
Euan McColm shines a light on the tendency of governments (at every level) to be obstructive and unhelpful when it comes to freedom of information (FoI) requests.
"National Records of Scotland unlawfully blocked requests - under freedom of information legislation - to release details of how many people had died in each of the country’s care homes."Those who break the law by failing to answer difficult questions may be motivated by the desire to protect themselves and their political superiors but, as this case shows, they may also be making Scotland a less safe place for the rest of us."
