Crown investigating 474 care homes in Scotland over Covid deaths

Cases of Covid-linked deaths are being investigated at more than 450 care homes in Scotland, it has been reported.

According to the BBC, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service’s dedicated Covid-19 Death Investigation Team (CDIT) is probing the circumstances of coronavirus-related deaths in 474 care homes across the country.

The CDIT was set up in May after Lord Advocate James Wolffe QC said all confirmed or suspected coronavirus deaths in care homes should be reported to the Crown Office, as well as deaths of people who may have contracted the virus at work.

The team had reportedly received 3385 death reports as of Thursday, with a majority of those believed to be linked to people who lived in care homes.

Scottish Care chief executive Donald Macaskill told the broadcaster the investigations were “wholly disproportionate”.

He said: “Frontline staff and managers are spending huge amounts of time providing data and information for these investigations.

“This would be challenging at the best of times but in the middle of a pandemic and with dozens of care homes fighting active outbreaks this has added to a real sense of exhaustion, dismay and disappointment.

“We believe these investigations are wholly disproportionate and are causing irreparable damage to the professional integrity of nurses and carers who are exhausted beyond measure in fighting the virus.”

A Crown Office spokesman said: “CDIT receives and deals with those reports and will work with the relevant agencies to ensure that all necessary and appropriate investigations are undertaken and that each investigation progresses as expediently as it can.”