NICOLA Sturgeon has been urged to clarify when she knew that Covid positive hospital patients were moved to care homes amid accusations her statements “don’t add up”.
A stark report by Public Health Scotland, commissioned by the Scottish Government, revealed that 113 known positive hospital patients were sent to care homes while thousands of untested patients were also moved to institutions in the early weeks of the pandemic.
More than 2,000 people have died from Covid-19 in care homes in Scotland during the crisis.
The Scottish Conservatives have now demanded that the First Minister makes clear when she knew about known positive patients being sent into the vulnerable locations.
In a letter to the party's health spokesperson Donald Cameron on October 14, Ms Sturgeon said that “neither Scottish ministers nor government officials had information on the results of Covid-19 tests prior to discharge or where these patients were discharged” before reports that revealed dozens of Covid patients were sent to care homes.
READ MORE: Coronavirus Scotland: Sturgeon's spin 'letting down grieving families'
But when quizzed over the same issue on Wedneday at her daily media breifing, the First Minister said that she couldn’t “stand here right now and put a date on when that started to be something that we were conscious of and that we were being questioned about”.
She added: “I've never said that I wasn't aware of that possibility. I’m not sure I can put a precise date on it.”
Both the Scottish Conservatives and Labour had called for an immediate public inquiry into the situation but the First Minister yesterday rejected these plea – instead insisting a full public inquiry will take place once the immediate dangers of the pandemic have been dealt with.
READ MORE: Coronavirus Scotland: Nicola Sturgeon under fire for care home transfers
Mr Cameron said: “One week the First Minister insists she knew nothing. Then she hints that she did know but won’t tell us when, or what, she knew. Her statements don’t add up and they disrespect all those who died from this tragedy.
“Why can’t the First Minister put a date on when she and her government knew about Covid-positive patients sent to care homes? Why can’t she put a date on when the public inquiry will start?”
He added: “The avoidable deaths of so many Scottish people in care homes is a scandal, not a political issue that the First Minister can dodge at will.
“Grieving families deserve simple answers to basic questions. The SNP Government’s silence betrays those families who, six months on, have no answers about what happened to their loved ones.”
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