Castleview Care Home and coat of arms of West Dunbartonshire Council.
The following comment from a reader of The Democrat was sent to us after we reported on the Freedom of Information restrictions now being brought in because of the pandemic:
They may not all be answerable within normal timescales. But authorities such as West Dunbartonshire Council which appear to …
West Dunbartonshire Council is a disgrace.
Death stalks the area as Coronavirus impacts. Eleven deaths in ten days in one care home already. More deaths in other homes too. Complaints of severe shortages of PPE to frontline carers and NHS staff.
And the response from the Council and the elected representatives is a big zilch. Not one comment. Not one opinion about the equipment shortages. Keeping the death tally unreported and minimised, keeping silent about equipment shortages. Refusing to speak to the press. Suspending freedom of information response times.
At least the Gauleiters of the Conservative neo-liberal policy that implemented the strategy of deliberately allowing the virus to spread because it was all about …… “herd immunity, protect the economy, and if a few pensioners die, too bad” are sitting back getting their pay.
- SeE report at CORONAVIRUS: NEW RULES FOR FOI REQUESTS. West Dunbartonshire Council has banned and boycotted The Dumbarton Democrat.
The Community Party has raised on several occasions the shortage of PPE for front line workers with the WDC resilience team but keep getting the same answer “Appropriate PPE is being provided”. Dozens of workers have raised their concerns about the shortage of PPE with the CP and we have raised these publicly on our Social Media site and brought them to the attention of WDC. One mask a day for home carers with 10 clients a day is not “appropriate”. The Council Unions have also been raising this with Council Management.
James Bollan makes a very valid point.
Front line care workers have been raising concerns about the disgraceful lack of PPE and the Council are not responding, preferring instead to disregard any request for comment.
Do the Council and it’s elected representatives have something to hide. Well I think they do and their lack of comment says so!
Death now stalks our community. The loss of eleven souls in ten days in just one of our care homes tells you so. But there have been deaths in other homes too and of course we also have the tragedy of a council care worker losing her life.
But silence is the order of the day for this council. Not even a comment to express sadness at the loss of life for those gone and for those left behind to grieve. And more importantly, are the PPE shortages now being addressed or is that still a secret.
And maybe one further comment if I may about the Council.
Putting workers at risk by not providing adequate PPE is criminal and actionable not just under health and safety laws but actionable as a right to claim civil damages from a negligent employer.
Prosecution or damages pursuance at this time is not however the way forward. Getting adequate safe working practice is. But once this emergency pray god is over and things have maybe stabilised, actions should be taken against negligent authorities.