THE First Minister has agreed that "cruel" Covid practice on mental health wards in Scotland must be reviewed.
Nicola Sturgeon said that while medics carry out "difficult" decisions to keep patients safe, the wellbeing of those receiving treatment is "paramount".
Ms Sturgeon was pressed on the matter today in Holyrood shortly after the weekly coronavirus update.
Labour MSP Paul Swinney highlighted one Glasgow family's fight for change after Callum Boulazreg was required to self-isolate seven times despite showing negative PCR results.
The 29-year-old - who is being treated at the Royal Gartnavel - finished his latest isolation period on Sunday after another patient on his ward tested positive for the virus.
His sisters, Lauren and Louisa, launched a petition for reformation of the current guidelines - arguing that each time Callum is "locked away" it stunts his road to recovery.
MSP Paul Sweeney said: "Visits from family are crucial to Callum's care, however, despite changes to self-isolation periods for the general population, Callum has been required to isolate for a full 10 days.
"He has been required to do this no less than seven times in the last year.
"Each occasion, Callum's progress is destroyed. He experiences a cognitive setback that was previously observed in care homes and has been rightfully condemned as a scandalous abuse of human rights.
"Does the First Minister agree that the excessive and even cruel practice must be ended in mental health wards and that long-term patients have a fundamental right to social and physical contact with their families?"
Ms Sturgeon assured that Health Secretary Humza Yousaf would look directly into the Boulazreg family's case before "further reflections".
She said: "Nobody is being cruel or seeking to be cruel in these decisions.
"They are difficult decisions that have a difficult impact on the patients and their families.
"I absolutely agree that the human rights and the wellbeing of patients, particularly long-term patients, is absolutely paramount."
We previously told how the family feared that Callum's chances of living a full, happy and healthy life would be impacted if he is required to isolate again.
Yesterday, Mr Yousaf confirmed that his clinical advisors would "look again" at the current isolation rules.
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