CARE CRISIS

Coronavirus Scotland: 14 pensioners die from Covid-19 in Clackmannanshire care home as operators HC-One come under fire

UNDER fire care bosses have suffered another 14 coronavirus deaths at one of their homes, it has emerged.

HC-One’s Orchard Care Home in Tullibody, Clackmannanshire, is the latest to be ravaged by the killer bug.

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It comes after the firm - who have suffered over 200 deaths across their Scottish homes - has come under fire over the deaths of 10 residents at its Home Farm facility on Skye, with three being probed by cops.

Scottish Labour leader, Richard Leonard, said: “The high number of deaths at The Orchard Care Home highlights how quickly the virus can spread and how susceptible older people are.

“Serious questions need to be answered by the Scottish Government about the delayed discharge policy at the beginning of this pandemic and also the impact that a lack of Personal Protective Equipment and testing has had on the spread of the virus in care homes.

“At a time when we should have been protecting the most vulnerable in our society, it appears that in a rush to protect the NHS from being overwhelmed, care homes were badly let down.”

A spokesperson for the home said: “Our thoughts and sympathies are with all families who have lost a loved one from coronavirus and we are doing our utmost to support them during this difficult time.

“Caring for our residents and supporting our colleagues is at the heart of what we do, and we are doing everything we can to make sure our residents and colleagues stay safe and well throughout these challenging times.

“We have secured the medical equipment, PPE, and supplies we need to protect residents and colleagues alike and we have had the necessary PPE throughout the outbreak, including at Orchard Care Home.

“HC-One have been regularly keeping in touch with the next of kin of our residents at The Orchard Care Home to inform them of the situation, as well as providing the necessary updates on their loved ones.”

We told yesterday how Police Scotland confirmed they were looking into how three women, aged 88, 86 and 84, died at the Home Farm facility in Portree, Skye.

Another of its homes, Mugdock House in Milngavie, near Glasgow, has also seen 10 residents die.

And yesterday the firm admitted several residents have also tragically died at their Merino Care Home in Greenock, Renfrewshire, following on from one death we reported last month.

They have admitted at least 212 residents have passed away in their Scots facilities.