Coronavirus in Scotland: Families urged not to delay funerals

Scotland’s funeral businesses are already seeing a surge in deaths from Covid-19 and other conditions. 

In the week ending April 5, there were almost 60 per cent more deaths registered than usual in Scotland, 1741 compared to a five-year average of 1098.

Dr Smith’s warning coincided with the Scottish Government issuing guidance to funeral directors on dealing safely with victims of Covid-19, including wearing personal protective equipment.

It also said it was “not advisable for family to touch the deceased during a viewing, unless wearing appropriate PPE such as disposable gloves/apron”.

It goes on: “To ensure organisations managing funerals are able to cope with the increased number of deaths during the current pandemic, it is important that people do not delay funerals of their loved ones. 

“The Scottish Government understands how difficult this will be for the families and friends of lost loved ones, however current guidance will be in place for the foreseeable future for public safety reasons and to ensure that funeral directors, crematoriums and burial grounds can continue to offer as normal a service as possible for all.”

Attendance at funeral services is being kept to a minimum of close friends and family who must observe social distancing rules, with some crematoria imposing a two-person limit. 

Speaking at the daily Scotttish Government briefing on the progress of the disease, Dr Smith said the funeral sector was coping with the extra cases, but that relied on people not delaying. 

He said “At this time, it’s very important that people do not delay funerals of their loved ones.

“It’s important that people are able to grieve the passing of a loved one, but delaying the funeral in anticipation of social distancing measures being lifted could increase strain on funeral and mortuary services responding to coronavirus.” 

He added: “What we’re seeing is anecdotal reports within the system of people starting to delay the process of going through their funeral arrangements, with the thought in mind that if perhaps they leave it a little longer that they can have more people at the funeral, maybe people who are currently self-isolating can come to it.

“But of course what that does across the country is, as more people try to take those views, is that you unfortunately get a backlog of funerals that need to take place.

“We need to make sure that that doesn’t happen.” 

He added: “This isn’t a request directed at those who have sadly lost loved ones to Covid-19. This affects us all across Scotland.

“On average, there are 57,000 deaths a year recorded in Scotland. That’s about 1000 deaths a week. Those deaths from other causes will also continue.

“We’re working very closely across Scotland with funeral directors, crematoriums and burial grounds, to monitor the sector’s ability to deliver as normal a service as possible.

"The sector can cope if everyone understands and appreciates the circumstances we find ourselves in and continues to arrange a funeral for loved ones as normal, and again I stress without delay.”

Nicola Sturgeon acknowledged it was a “really difficult message” to give and for people to hear, but it was also “essential”.

A spokeswoman for William Purves funeral directors, which continues to offer embalming and viewings to help people cope with Covid-19 deaths, said  funerals were still taking seven to 10 days, but families had to adjust to having two or three attendees instead of hundreds. 

“Families are being incredibly strong and stoical about the restrictions,” she said. 

Ms Sturgeon also stressed care homes were a priority after a fourth Scottish facility recorded multiple deaths from coronavirus.

The Care Inspectorate confirmed residents had died at the Almond Court home in Drumchapel in Glasgow following suspected Covid-19 cases. 

The Scottish Sun reported five residents had recently died and a staff member was ill at the 42-bed home.

A Care Inspectorate spokeswoman said: "We are aware of the tragic death of residents at this care home as a result of suspected cases of Covid-19.

"We have been notified of the circumstances and we are in contact with the care service and the local health and social care partnership during this difficult time.

"All of Scotland's social care sector is working under very difficult circumstances to care for people during the pandemic and the Care Inspectorate is doing all it can to support them."

Almond Court is operated by the Holmes Care Group.

Nine elderly residents have also reportedly died at Tranent Care Home in East Lothian; eight died after showing symptoms at Castle View in Dumbarton, West Dunbartonshire; and 13 residents died at Burlington Court care home in Glasgow.

Tranent and Castle View are owned by HC-One, while Burlington Court is run by Four Seasons.

Ms Sturgeon said: "I want to give a very strong assurance firstly, that we're working hard with the Care Inspectorate to provide appropriate support to care homes, their staff and their residents. Secondly, we're working hard to ensure that we can publish full and robust information about numbers of cases in care homes."

Wednesdsay's weekly total of death registrations from National Records of Scotland, which include both suspected and confirmed Covid-19 cases, will reveal death locations for the first time.

“They will show whether an individual died in hospital, in a care home, in their own home or in another location,” the First Minister said.

It followed apparent confusion with Health Secretary Jeane Freeman saying there had been deaths in 406 homes in Scotland (37% of homes), when it was actually Covid-19 cases in 406 homes. 

Robert Kilgour, CEO of Renaissance Care, accused the Scottish Government of "spin" over a pay rise for social care staff, saying it was already planned.

He said his care home firm had already told staff their pay would go up 3.3% more than a week before Ms Freeman announced it on Sunday. 

Mr Kilgour, speaking on the BBC's Good Morning Scotland show, said: "My reading of this is that it's pure spin, frankly, from the Scottish Government. It's no new money as far as I can see. All they've done is announced what has been agreed on the annual pay award. It's always done on April 1 every year.” 

Ms Freeman insisted the rise was "new money" and faster than usual. 

Previous salary increases had typically resulted from "protracted" negotiations which would go on into the summer, with salaries backdated to April 1 to reflect any increases.

She said the agreement with councils was "new money", because it "is not money that we would be spending in that way" had there not been an agreement struck.

She added: "For any owner of a care home or provider of care who wishes to pay more than that then they are of course very welcome to do so."