Statement re change in Operation Koper
“Scottish Care is pleased to hear of the decision of the Lord Advocate to change the requirements around the reporting of Covid19 deaths in care homes.
We are immensely disappointed that it has taken so long to reach this stage despite the many entreaties both from ourselves and countless frontline nurses, carers and managers.
Scottish Care has always stated that it is important that assurance was given to families, staff, and residents that their care and support was as of as high a quality as it could be despite the immense pressures of an unknown virus within a global pandemic. When the then Lord Advocate decided to change reporting requirements we expressed our concern that such changes were disproportionate and that they placed an undue burden on the delivery of frontline care and support and also ignored the human rights of frontline care-givers.
We very much regret the subsequent process of investigation which became known as Operation Koper and believe it has done immeasurable harm to frontline services and the women and men who work in it. We continue to assert that far from granting reassurance and comfort to those with understandable questions around the deaths of loved ones it has fractured relationships, inappropriately maligned the reputations of frontline staff and caused real harm.
We very much hope that forthcoming Inquiries and reflections will provide an opportunity to assess these harms and to ensure that such a process of disproportionate investigation and examination, regardless of motivation, does not happen in the treatment of an infectious disease in the future.”
Ends.
For Crown Office Statement see https://www.copfs.gov.uk/about-copfs/news/change-in-reporting-of-care-home-covid-19-deaths-to-the-procurator-fiscal/
