Minister Clare Haughey says the Scottish government’s plan will look to strike a balance between measures to suppress the coronavirus and enabling “normal care home life” to resume.

It comes as a “hidden catastrophe” in mental health unfolds across Scotland, particularly among care home residents and their loved ones, according to Monica Lennon MSP.

Speaking in the Scottish Parliament yesterday, the Labour health spokesperson recalled a constituent who had contacted her about her 92-year-old mother who, after being deprived of family contact, attempted to take her own life.

MSPs have backed a motion calling for Scotland to adopt a similar approach to one currently being considered by the legislative assembly in Ontario, Canada, which recognises family caregivers in the same way as social care staff, allowing them to support their loved ones in residential settings.

More than 200 days since Scotland’s care homes went into lockdown, MSPs say a similar approach is needed in Scotland to reduce the impact of loneliness and isolation on people in care homes, hospices, neonatal wards, and supported living accommodation.

Almost 2,000 deaths in Scotland’s care homes have been linked to covid-19 – over half of all covid-related deaths.

Excess deaths have risen sharply, including a significant rise in deaths of people suffering from dementia.

Age Scotland recently called for an investigation of the “extremely concerning” rise in non-covid deaths.

Speaking in Holyrood during a debate on family caregivers, the Minister for Mental Health Clare Haughey said:

“We are looking at what more we can do to strike a better balance between family and visitor contact and protecting people.

“We recognise the need for proportionality in how we do that, but we are committed to opening up further opportunities for people to see their loved ones.

She added: “We will shortly publish an adult social care winter plan for 2020-21. We can all agree that we need to work as safely as possible to open up care home visiting and return to normal care home life so that family and loved ones can visit as they did previously, and so that care homes can continue to flourish as part of their local communities.”

Last week the First Minister emphasised “the burden of keeping this virus under control” was shared by all ages and that a return to shielding was both impractical and unethical.

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