Written Question · S5W-28547 · Session 5
What impact the COVID-19 outbreak is having on the capacity of the Care Inspectorate to visit care homes, and how the number of visits in (…
The question
To ask the Scottish Government what impact the COVID-19 outbreak is having on the capacity of the Care Inspectorate to visit care homes, and how the number of visits in (a) March and (b) April 2020 compares with the same period in 2019.
The answer
In common with other UK regulators and counterparts in Ireland, the Care Inspectorate took the decision early in our response to the pandemic to scale down, recognising that this may put an unnecessary burden on the care sector, may contribute to spreading COVID-19, and put their inspectors at risk.
Additionally part of the continuous review in their response to the Covid-19 outbreak, the Care Inspectorate has put in place a programme of increased unannounced site inspections.
The Care Inspectorate has been very active in monitoring services and has been making regular contact with care homes and their parent companies, often daily. They are also actively working with Health Protection Scotland, local Public Health teams, Health and Social Care Partnerships, local authorities and others in order to monitor, direct and guide services.
The Care Inspectorate changed their operating model in response to Covid-19 by establishing:daily notifications for suspected cases and deaths in care servicesa new system of red, amber green notifications for services to indicate if they were experiencing staffing difficultiesa twice per day Gold command group and once daily Silver command group, deciding what action is required based on the intelligence gatheredcollaboration with Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC)/NHS Education for Scotland (NES) Hub to successfully route staff to services experiencing staffing difficultiestraining of inspectors on the use of 'Near Me' to utilise real time video footage to examine the circumstances within services, to provide further assurance
Under the Coronavirus (Scotland) (No2) Act 2020 the Care Inspectorate has new duties to report on inspections and deaths in care homes. These reports will be laid in Parliament accordingly.
Under the Coronavirus (Scotland) (No2) Act 2020 the Care Inspectorate has new duties to report on inspections and deaths in care homes. These reports will be laid in parliament accordingly.
In March 2019, 110 inspections were carried out at care homes. In April 2019, 99 inspections were carried out at care homes. In March 2020, 71 inspections were carried out at care homes. In April 2020, no inspections were carried out at care homes, but the work noted above was undertaken.
Additionally part of the continuous review in their response to the Covid-19 outbreak, the Care Inspectorate has put in place a programme of increased unannounced site inspections.
The Care Inspectorate has been very active in monitoring services and has been making regular contact with care homes and their parent companies, often daily. They are also actively working with Health Protection Scotland, local Public Health teams, Health and Social Care Partnerships, local authorities and others in order to monitor, direct and guide services.
The Care Inspectorate changed their operating model in response to Covid-19 by establishing:daily notifications for suspected cases and deaths in care servicesa new system of red, amber green notifications for services to indicate if they were experiencing staffing difficultiesa twice per day Gold command group and once daily Silver command group, deciding what action is required based on the intelligence gatheredcollaboration with Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC)/NHS Education for Scotland (NES) Hub to successfully route staff to services experiencing staffing difficultiestraining of inspectors on the use of 'Near Me' to utilise real time video footage to examine the circumstances within services, to provide further assurance
Under the Coronavirus (Scotland) (No2) Act 2020 the Care Inspectorate has new duties to report on inspections and deaths in care homes. These reports will be laid in Parliament accordingly.
Under the Coronavirus (Scotland) (No2) Act 2020 the Care Inspectorate has new duties to report on inspections and deaths in care homes. These reports will be laid in parliament accordingly.
In March 2019, 110 inspections were carried out at care homes. In April 2019, 99 inspections were carried out at care homes. In March 2020, 71 inspections were carried out at care homes. In April 2020, no inspections were carried out at care homes, but the work noted above was undertaken.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S5W-28547 by reference.