We were thrown to the wolves

Union's brutal verdict on health & care staff

- VIVIENNE AITKEN

SCOTLAND’S health workers were “thrown to the wolves” during the pandemic and some died as a result, union bosses will claim today. 

The Scottish Trade Unions Conference will hear claims there was an “astonishing” lack of support which led to unnecessary workplace-related deaths.

The STUC will present the voices of Scotland’s health and social care workers at the Scottish Covid Inquiry, which begins today.

The STUC’s evidence will highlight key deficiencies in pandemic planning, which contributed to more than 12,000 deaths in Scotland.

The inquiry will hear evidence about how a chronic shortage of PPE in addition to unusable, out-of-date or inappropriate equipment put workers’ and patients’ lives at risk in acute health and social care settings.

Further confusion over virus transmissibility, in addition to incredible workplace pressures for key workers, put an “unbelievable” strain on workers and their families.