Scots ministers blame UK-funded lab for care home testing backlog

The Scottish Government is moving to increase the number and speed of Covid testing of care home staff after blaming UK Government-funded labs for a lengthening backlog.

The renewed drive comes days after The Sunday Post revealed ­hundreds of staff were waiting more than a week for results, provoking warnings of more outbreaks in the country’s homes where at least 2,000 residents have already died in the pandemic.

Yesterday, one operator that runs 25 homes said the turnaround time had barely improved this week, with 718 results still outstanding. Balhousie also said 27 staff were still waiting for results from the previous week, while all 24 staff at one Dundee care home received inconclusive results.

In May, Health Secretary Jeane Freeman committed to weekly testing of all care home staff in Scotland, with results to come back within 48 hours but, on Friday, she wrote to all homes to confirm testing had not been swift enough and would be bolstered in the weeks ahead.

In a letter sent to care home bosses on Friday, Ms Freeman said it was unacceptable that care home staff were waiting so long for results and expressed unhappiness with the performance of UK Government-funded Lighthouse labs, including one in Glasgow, which processes tests.

She said: “I wanted to assure you that I am fully aware of these issues and have raised this as a significant concern with the UK Government.

“My officials are also working closely with UK officials to secure increased capacity in the UK Glasgow Lighthouse Lab throughout September and over the next few months. In parallel, we are working hard to increase capacity in our NHS in Scotland as well as looking at how we can use this increased capacity to re-route testing of care home staff over the next few weeks and months, ensuring a more resilient and efficient process.”

In April, we told how the Lighthouse Lab, hosted by Glasgow University at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, was operating at just a third of capacity. At the time, the Scottish Government backed the work of the lab, adding: “It has done an excellent job in contributing to Scotland’s response to the pandemic and will play a vital role in our Test and Protect system.”

The plan was welcomed by Dr Donald Macaskill, chief executive of private care homes membership organisation Scottish Care, who said: “I am grateful for the direct intervention of the cabinet secretary. As autumn and winter approaches we must get care home testing to work at its optimum. Ensuring greater local NHS Scotland control will undoubtedly assist this.”

The Health Secretary was questioned by MSPs in Parliament this week after The Post revealed that the Perth-based Balhousie Care Group received just six results from 846 tests the previous week.

The operator said there were 718 results outstanding from 839 staff tests this week – with 669 carried out between Monday and Wednesday – as well as 27 outstanding from the previous week.

The care home group also revealed all 24 workers at one care home in Dundee received “unclear” test results. An asymptomatic worker at another Dundee care home in the group is self-isolating after testing positive. None of the residents have tested positive.

Tony Banks, chairman of Balhousie Care Group, said: “With the rate of Covid-19 cases rising again nationwide, the danger of asymptomatic care home staff mixing with residents and service users, as well as their own colleagues, is very real. As a care ­provider and major employer, we need more than words of assurance and acknowledgements of concern from the Scottish Government. We need urgent action that addresses the shambles that care home testing has become. We also need a promise that our loved ones living in care homes, and the hard-working staff looking after them, don’t feel abandoned like they did at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP, who questioned Ms Freeman about delays to care homes staff test results this week, said: “After all the big promises on prompt and ­ regular testing, these care home staff are essentially working blind.

“Virus test results must be turned around quickly if care homes are going to be able to maintain ­stringent safety standards and keep their staff and residents safe. Many of the most vulnerable people reside in these settings. The Health Secretary must prioritise improving this concerning situation.”

Yesterday, the Scottish Government said: “Scotland’s dedicated care home workers are on the frontline of our national pandemic response and their work is hugely valued. It is crucial that they are able to access testing with results provided in a timely manner.

“Care home staff tests are ­processed through the UK Government’s testing system and the Cabinet Secretary for Health has written to all care home managers across Scotland to assure them that she has raised this as a significant concern with the UK Government.

“Long waits for care home test results are unacceptable and we are working closely with the UK Government to secure increased capacity in the UK Glasgow Lighthouse Lab. We are also working with Scottish health boards to put in place alternative arrangements for routine testing of staff and are currently assessing a number of options to increase testing capacity and reduce turnaround times.”

The UK Government said a recent £500m investment will increase testing capacity and new testing technology will deliver rapid tests. It will help to scale up capacity to 500,000 tests per day by the end October.