Care home residents will still be visited by GPs during the covid-19 pandemic if needed, health and social care leaders have stressed.

Scottish Care and the Royal College of GPs Scotland (RCGP) have issued a joint statement to provide reassurance over the “significant challenges” being experienced by the care home sector.

Concerns have been raised over older people being discriminated against as increasing pressure is placed on health resources due to the pandemic.

The organisations say GPs will continue to deliver the “same high level of care and support” that they have always provided to patients in care homes.

While there is a move towards assessments being carried out by telephone or video consulting to reduce the risk of bringing infection into the home, visits will take place in person where there is a clinical need to do so.

The statement from Dr Carey Lunan, Chair of RCGP Scotland and Donald Macaskill, CEO of Scottish Care, says: “We recognise that the covid-19 pandemic is an incredibly worrying time for care home residents and their families, and also for care home staff who continue to provide exceptional care during this time. 

“GPs will continue to deliver the same high level of care and support that they have always provided to their patients in care homes. 

“GPs have had to rapidly adapt the way that they deliver clinical care in the last few weeks, with much more advice and assessment being done over the telephone or by video consulting, where it is safe and appropriate to do so.

“The safety of care home residents is very important to GPs, and for that reason, they would only visit in person where there is a clinical need to do so, to reduce the potential risk of bringing any infection into the home.”

The statement says if a visit in person is required appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) will be worn to protect staff and residents.

Last week Scottish Care and the RCGP wrote to health secretary Jeane Freeman calling for urgent action over the level of PPE being provided for community health and social care staff.

“We are pleased to say that this situation has since greatly improved,” the statement says.

“We are committed to continuing to work closely and collaboratively to ensure that those working on the frontline of health and social care delivery in our community feel safe during this uncertain time and that patients continue to receive the care that they need.”

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