CONTROVERSIAL comments suggesting a coronavirus outbreak could “be useful” in freeing up hospital beds have been branded “nothing short of barbaric” by a Scottish charity.
On Thursday, former Scottish Government adviser and nursing chief, Professor June Andrews, raised eyebrows after making the remarks in front of a Holyrood committee.
Prof Andrews, who recognised her comments were “horrific”, said that for hospitals struggling to clear delayed discharge lists, “a pandemic would be quite useful because your hospital would work better because these people would be taken out of the system”.
READ MORE: Coronavirus: Pandemic could clear bed blocking as people 'taken out of system'
Now the chief executive of Age Scotland, Brian Sloan, has criticised the comments as “breath-takingly callous” and "nothing short of barbaric".
He said: “Did the professor stop to think that these people are mothers, brothers, grandparents and friends?
READ MORE: WATCH: Former nursing chief's 'horrific' coronavirus bed blocking comments
“The sweeping suggestion that the deaths of vulnerable, older people would be convenient because it would make life easier for hospital administrators is breath-takingly callous.”
He added: “By making sensationalist remarks, with no apparent thought for the individuals whose lives she is casting aside, she fails to recognise, or fully understand the real challenges behind delayed discharge.
“The overwhelming majority of older people who are in Scottish hospitals despite being medically fit to be discharged are there because adequate social care provision is not in place.
“The idea that a 'useful' pandemic, such as coronavirus, which is known to severely affect older people, would 'help' that situation is frankly abhorrent.
“Older people deserve our compassion in later life. To even think otherwise shows a heartless lack of humanity.”
READ MORE: Coronavirus in Scotland: Five new confirmed cases of disease
The charity has called for additional investment in social care and improved recruitment.
Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland, Prof Andrews said her remarks were “not callous” but “actually truthful” and pointed to healthcare workers being “on their knees”.
She added that she was “really sorry that this has upset people” but that politicians and NHS managers were unable to use “shock tactics” to bring attention to the issues.
Scottish Tory health spokesperson, Miles Briggs, has also criticised the comments and has called on the Scottish Government to recommission beds to be able to cope with a major coronavirus outbreak.
He said: “The outbreak of coronavirus in Scotland will certainly not be ‘quite useful’ for solving the bed blocking crisis that we have in Scotland.
“Understandably many Scots are concerned about the outbreak of coronavirus and these thoughtless comments will do nothing to improve the situation.
“Coronavirus will increase the number of people in Scotland who are hospitalised and put greater strain on our already under pressure health services."
He added: “Over the last six years have seen a significant reduction in hospital beds with the loss of 2762 acute hospital beds over a six-year period.
“I have called on the Scottish Government to recommission NHS beds across the hospital estate urgently to accommodate the potential for increased hospitalisation.”
The Scottish Government has been approached for comment.
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