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Care home watchdog chief says he will always be thinking of pandemic tragedy

Home Farm Care Home in Portree.

The outgoing head of Scotland’s care home regulator has said his thoughts will “always remain” with the families who lost loved ones to Covid-19.

Peter Macleod acknowledged the “tragedy” that had unfolded in the social care sector as he officially stepped down on Thursday after serving for three turbulent years as chief executive of the Care Inspectorate.

We reported on Wednesday that the watchdog boss had defended its response to the pandemic after the organisation was accused of being “posted missing”.

The Dundee-based regulator was criticised for failing to answer phone calls during the crisis, and for fully investigating just 5% of complaints about care homes for older people in 2020/21.

Care Inspectorate chief executive Peter Macleod giving evidence to Holyrood's health committee. Scottish Parliament TV/SPCB
Care Inspectorate’s outgoing chief executive Peter Macleod. SPCB/Scottish Parliament

Care home residents have accounted for 29% of the more than 10,000 Covid-19 deaths in Scotland during the pandemic.

Fatalities at care homes are the subject of an ongoing Crown Office investigation, and failings in the system are expected to be a key focus of a future public inquiry on Scotland’s response to the pandemic.

In his final report to the Care Inspectorate board, Mr Macleod said the organisation had “galvanised” its resources in order to provide “the right support at the right time”.

‘Absolute focal point’

Speaking at the meeting on Thursday, he said: “Of course, an absolute focal point during that three years has been the almost two years of the organisation’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“And in particular its impact on the sectors that we have oversight of.

“As I have said in my report, I would want to absolutely acknowledge the tragedy that is represented by the loss of lives in care services as a consequence of the pandemic, and also want to recognise and pass my thoughts…

“My thoughts will always remain with all of those who have lost loved ones as a consequence of Covid.”

Care Inspectorate HQ at Compass House on Riverside Drive in Dundee.

Mr Macleod added: “But as the report covers, as well as the detail of our response during almost the last two years of the pandemic, there is much else the organisation, in all its functions, has been responsible for across a whole range of areas of practice and internally, and a huge agenda of transformation and change that has been taken forward.”

The Care Inspectorate has said that Mr Macleod was stepping down following a period of ill health.

Edith Macintosh, deputy chief executive and executive director of strategy and improvement, will become interim chief executive.

Deputy Scottish Labour leader Jackie Baillie.

Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said earlier that Mr Macleod’s report failed to address the “serious concerns” raised about the Care Inspectorate during the pandemic.

“Care homes needed support at the start of the pandemic but the hardworking inspectors were forced to stay away. That approach taken at the time will undoubtedly be considered by the public inquiry,” she said.

“The development of a new National Care Service is a chance for us to make sure that every part of the system works as it should, and that includes reflecting on the Care Inspectorate’s role and approach to the pandemic.”