Labour leader Anas Sarwar, former Health Secretary Jeane Freeman and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who will appear before Lady Justice Heather Hallet.
By Bill Heaney
The public deserves answers on the Covid care home “atrocity,” Anas Sarwar said today ahead of Jeane Freeman and Nicola Sturgeon’s appearances at the Covid Inquiry, which resumes before Lady Hallett in Edinburgh today (Monday).
Over the past week, Mr Sarwar states that evidence from the Covid Inquiry has sparked a series of political scandals and laid bare a worrying culture of secrecy and cover-up across the SNP government – but it has provided little clarity for those bereaved in the pandemic.
And that there have been few answers provided on the SNP government’s decision to discharge untested and Covid-positive patients into care homes at the height of the pandemic.
In March and April 2020, thousands of vulnerable people were put in danger by Scottish Government guidance allowing untested and Covid-positive patients to be discharged into care homes.
As the former Health Secretary and First Minister come before the Inquiry, the Scottish Labour leader has said that their evidence must provide answers on this “catastrophic” decision.
Anas Sarwar said “At the heart of this inquiry are the people who lost their lives and lost their loved ones – and so far they have been badly let down by the SNP circus playing out.
“One of the worst atrocities of the pandemic was the SNP government’s decision to allow untested and Covid-positive patients to be discharged into care homes.
“Thousands of vulnerable people were put at risk and lives have been lost – we need to know the truth about how and why this catastrophic decision was made.
“Jeane Freeman and Nicola Sturgeon were responsible for this decision and this week they will have the opportunity to give families the answers they deserve.
“Every single person who made sacrifices and suffered losses during the pandemic deserve answers from this inquiry – the SNP must end the culture of secrecy and cover-up and come clean.”
Top picture: Crosslet House care home in Dumbarton where some patients who had not been tested for Covid 19 virus were transferred.