Guidance on reporting Covid-19 deaths in care homes changes

New guidance cutting the type of coronavirus deaths that must be reported to the Crown Office has been issued as latest figures show a slight fall in such fatalities.

Data from National Records of Scotland (NRS) shows that in the week to December 18, there were 38 deaths involving Covid-19 – three fewer than the previous week.

It comes as Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC announced it is no longer necessary for the deaths of all care home residents and any workers who may have contracted Covid-19 in the course of their employment or occupation to be reported to the procurator fiscal.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) established a specialist unit in May 2020 to receive reports of Covid-related deaths and to carry out any investigation which may be required.

Since then, the team has received more than 5,500 death reports.

Ms Bain said: “The situation created by this pandemic is unlike any other in our lifetimes and the scale of the Crown’s investigation is unprecedented. It is without doubt the single largest investigation of deaths in Scottish history.

“Thousands of Scottish families lost a loved one and the impact of that is still sorely felt. I understand that an investigation can be difficult for those involved but it is a process which will assist with the eventual understanding of these deaths and may prevent further loss of life in the future.

“The reporting guidance to medical practitioners has been kept under continuous review and, following agreement with the Chief Medical Officer, police service of Scotland and National Records of Scotland, will now be changed.”

The Covid Deaths Investigation Team of COPFS continues to work with agencies including the Health and Safety Executive, local authorities, the Care Inspectorate, and the police to ensure all necessary and appropriate inquiries are made in relation to the deaths.

The Lord Advocate added: “Every single one of these deaths is a tragedy which requires to be fully considered.

“I am committed to ensuring that the facts and circumstances surrounding these deaths are thoroughly investigated and answers given to bereaved families.”

The guidance issued to medical practitioners states that there will remain some situations where certifying doctors must report a death to the procurator fiscal where a person has died as a result of Covid or presumed Covid.

It states the guidance has been updated during the recovery phase of the pandemic “with the intention that this will help to reduce the demands on the medical profession and other partner agencies, whilst maintaining the overall integrity of the system for reporting and investigating deaths”.

NRS figures show that as of December 18, there have been 16,252 deaths registered in Scotland where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.

Meanwhile, the latest Public Health Scotland figures showed that in the week ending December 18, there were on average 872 patients in hospital with Covid-19.

This was a 18.6% increase from the previous week ending December 11, when the figure was 735.

In the week to December 18, there were 13 new admissions to intensive care with a laboratory confirmed test of Covid-19, four up on the previous week.