Age Scotland welcomes public inquiry into Scotland’s handling of pandemic

The national charity for older people has welcomed news that work is underway to set up a public inquiry to investigate the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland.

The Scottish Government today (Tuesday 24 August) outlined the commitment to establish a judge-led, human-rights based public inquiry by the end of the year.

The charity was among leading organisations who urged the Scottish Government to establish such an inquiry earlier this year, and says the planned inquiry should help provide clarity over the challenges faced by older people as the country responded to Covid-19 and whether enough was done to uphold rights during this period.

Age Scotland’s Chief Executive, Brian Sloan, said:

“We have repeatedly stressed the importance of a public inquiry of this kind and are very glad to see The Scottish Government setting out plans to make this a reality.

“We welcome that the inquiry will take a person-centred, human rights based approach to investigation. Involving those with lived experience and welcoming feedback from the public during these initial planning stages will help underpin credibility.

“Since the pandemic began, we’ve heard first-hand the devastating impact it has had on older people.

“There are still many unanswered questions over why certain decisions were taken, and how their rights may have been impacted as a result - from the inappropriate application of DNAR orders and access to fair and equal medical treatment to the longer-term effects of lockdown restrictions on health and wellbeing.

“Getting answers is crucial, especially for the families and loved ones of the those who have sadly lost their lives.

“We’ve also spoken in the past about how the impact of Covid-19 on care homes, and social care more generally, must play a key role in investigation into Scotland’s handling of the pandemic. The virus has taken a heavy toll on residents, their families, and staff, and we are glad to see this mentioned as an area of particular focus.

“Today’s announcement is an important step towards reflecting on actions taken during the pandemic and how they impacted people in Scotland.

“This opportunity to identify and learn from mistakes to ensure they are never repeated must be grasped with both hands, and we look forward to seeing work begin to take this inquiry further forward.”