A shocking twist from the UK Covid Inquiry: Scotland’s main care home watchdog says it was blocked from inspecting a struggling care home at the height of the pandemic — leaving grieving families demanding answers.
Safety Watchdog Kept Out as Crisis Unfolded
Kevin Mitchell, the Care Inspectorate’s executive director of scrutiny and assurance, told the UK Covid Inquiry he was stopped from visiting a care home in the west of Scotland where several residents died in April 2020.
He’d tried to get boots on the ground.
But public health officials said no.
Mitchell described how he needed permission from local directors of public health for any onsite checks once the virus took hold. He said the home was in a “critical position” yet his request was refused outright. The reason? Officials feared inspectors could bring in more infection — or so they claimed.
Inspections Suspended for Weeks
Between 13 March and 4 May 2020, the Care Inspectorate paused all onsite visits to care homes.
This window, when the virus was ripping through vulnerable communities, left care staff and residents in a fragile spot.
Thousands of deaths in Scottish care homes are now part of the biggest death investigation in the country’s history. A special Crown Office unit, created back in 2020, is still trying to make sense of what really happened inside those locked-down facilities.
One sentence here for breath.
The silence from authorities has only deepened the hurt for families who say they’ve waited too long for straight answers.
Public Health Versus Inspection: Who Calls the Shots?
Mitchell painted a picture of deep tensions. He claimed local directors of public health were jittery about letting outsiders in.
“It felt like they were really nervous,” he told the inquiry, adding they worried inspectors might carry the virus between homes. Instead, health officials leaned on remote conversations and clinicians’ advice.
Families argue this left staff overstretched and residents at risk.
So, who’s in charge when it all goes wrong?
The inquiry has exposed a grey zone — the Care Inspectorate needed permission to do its job, but public health leaders had the final word. That uneasy balance still raises eyebrows.
Families Feel Locked Out Too
Behind these procedural wrangles lie real lives. Thousands of them.
Scotland’s Crown Office says the care home deaths probe is the largest of its kind. Families of residents lost to Covid have accused the authorities of dragging their feet.
One grieving daughter said she felt “kept in the dark” for months while officials squabbled over access.
For them, the blocked inspection is more than paperwork. It’s a symbol of what they see as a lack of urgency and compassion.
In a climate of fear, some argue caution tipped into paralysis. Others believe public health teams did what they could with the knowledge they had at the time.
A Watchdog Without Teeth?
Mitchell’s account will fuel growing calls for stronger oversight.
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The Care Inspectorate had no legal right to override public health decisions.
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Families were given vague updates about what was happening inside homes.
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Care home staff were left making impossible choices without enough support.
One line for pause.
The UK Covid Inquiry has heard repeated evidence about how fast-changing rules sowed confusion. Inspectors’ powers, or lack of them, are now firmly in the spotlight.
Data Reveals the Human Toll
A glance at the figures tells its own grim story.
| Year | Care Home Covid Deaths (Scotland) | Percentage of Total Covid Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1,990 | 47% |
| 2021 | 726 | 25% |
| 2022 | 122 | 5% |
Public Health Scotland reports that nearly half of all Covid deaths in the early stages were in care homes. That proportion fell sharply as vaccinations, testing, and PPE improved — but the scars from those first months remain raw.
One sentence again.
Some staff say they were left “flying blind”, with no inspections and conflicting advice about infection control.
Inquiry Shines Light on Leadership Gaps
It’s easy to forget just how chaotic the early months of the pandemic were. But the inquiry has shown how gaps in leadership and accountability made a terrible situation worse.
Mitchell’s evidence suggests frontline inspectors were willing to go in but had their hands tied.
Public health officials, meanwhile, prioritised stopping the virus from spreading — a noble aim, but one that left care home residents isolated and sometimes unseen.
The blocked inspection raises tricky questions about transparency too. The Care Inspectorate has refused to confirm which home was involved — citing privacy — though some families want full disclosure.
Where Does This Leave Scotland’s Care System?
No one expects simple answers. But some campaigners say the events of spring 2020 should be a wake-up call for how care is regulated in Scotland.
One line.
Experts have pointed out that the balance between local health boards and national watchdogs needs clarifying — fast. If another public health crisis hit tomorrow, would inspectors again be left outside the door?
People who lost loved ones don’t want an apology wrapped in legalese. They want to know why those charged with protecting the most vulnerable couldn’t do so when it mattered most.
Trust, once broken, is hard to rebuild.
