In May 2020 we revealed the Scottish Government was not only directing the discharge of hospital patients to care homes without a test.. it had been buying the beds at a cost of £millions.

Nobody ever admitted this ‘mistake’ then. https://twitter.com/htscotpol/status/1380238225051111427">https://twitter.com/htscotpol...

As early as *March 13th 2020* @scotgov was aware of concerns about sending patients to care homes without a test.

The guidance, however, stated clearly that the priority was ‘maximising hospital capacity.’

Despite acknowledging concerns around discharging untested patients to care homes @scotgov guidance actually called for the process to be sped up.

There’s been 10,000 COVID deaths in Scotland around 3,000 in care homes - a disturbingly high number.

I asked @scotgov about this policy several times, including @NicolaSturgeon at the daily briefing in May 2020.

Answers were almost identical to the line taken in Westminster. https://twitter.com/c4ciaran/status/1262742006939303936">https://twitter.com/c4ciaran/...

More detail from our exclusive report almost a year ago https://twitter.com/c4ciaran/status/1263191441221787650">https://twitter.com/c4ciaran/...