Police investigations into care homes where residents have died of covid-19 have been described as unfairly singling out the residential care sector.

Some staff have spent hours being questioned by police, Channel 4 News reported, with some homes having to take on extra staff to answer a long list of requests.

The news has led to calls for the Scottish government to launch an immediate public inquiry to learn lessons ahead of winter.

To date 46% of the 4,301 covid-19 deaths in Scotland have happened in residential care, compared to 47% in hospitals.

But the process being followed by Police Scotland and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service has been described as ‘disproportionate’ because deaths in hospitals are not being looked into in the same way.

Documents seen by Channel 4 News reveal the major police investigation, which has been labelled Operation Koper, currently relates to 309 care home deaths.

However it is claimed that the operation will eventually cover all of the more than 2,000 residential care deaths linked to covid-19.

A spokesman for Scottish Care, which represents independent providers across care at home and residential care, said it was “absolutely right” to examine covid-19 deaths.

But they added: “However, as we have stated before, we believe this right of re-assurance should be given to all those who have lost a family member or friend to the pandemic

“We regret the fact that deaths occurring in hospitals especially in wards and areas which were not directly covid-related are not receiving the same focus. In addition, we regret that deaths from covid in the community are not being investigated.

“We cannot avoid the conclusion that this process is treating the care home sector, regardless of whether operated by a local authority, charitable or private provider, in an unequal and disproportionate manner.

“This is made worse by the reality that the care sector, whether in care homes or more widely, is actively fighting the pandemic.”

A Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service spokesman said: “The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service has established a dedicated team to deal with reports of covid-19 or presumed covid-19 deaths in care homes or where the deceased may have contracted the virus in the course of their employment.

“The team will work with the relevant agencies to ensure that all necessary and appropriate investigations are undertaken and that each investigation progresses as expediently as it can.”

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