Number of care home coronavirus cases and deaths being witheld

The number of coronavirus deaths or infections in Fife care homes is being witheld, as it could compromise confidentiality, say health chiefs.

By The Newsroom

Published 22nd Apr 2020, 16:41 BST

Updated 23rd Apr 2020, 11:24 BST

The number of cases in Fife care homes is not being released.

A third of all coronavirus deaths across Scotland are known to have been in care homes, according to figures released this week.

However, health chiefs in Fife are refusing to say how many people are infected or have died in care homes, claiming that it would compromise their identity.

Julie Paterson Divisional General Manager of Fife Health and Social Care Partnership said: “In Fife, we have 75 care homes, seven of which are managed directly by the Health and Social Care Partnership.

“Reporting small numbers of deaths risks identifying individuals and this detail cannot be provided at the expense of the rights of the individuals we support.

“These settings are people’s homes and we have a duty to protect people’s rights to privacy and dignity.”

Across Scotland, it was revealed that 537 coronavirus deaths had happened in care homes, with 910 happening in a hospital.

Fife Scotland