Moray MP Douglas Ross has said he was shocked to learn from a local constituent that someone who had been advised to shield by the Scottish Government received a subsequent letter telling them that mistakes had been made and they did not require to shield. One Moray constituent who has been affected by this is in their eighties with considerable, complex, health conditions.
Commenting Douglas said “The Scottish Government were behind the rest of the UK in issuing these letters in the first place and had problems getting food parcels and priority home deliveries from the supermarkets for those told to shield. Now it seems the whole process has been beset with problems as we discover that some of those who were told to shield weeks ago were sent these letters in error.
“I immediately raised this with the Deputy First Minister as he was taking the lead on this for the Scottish Government; however their response raises more questions than answers. If there are errors with people being wrongly told to shield, are there others who should have been shielding but weren’t informed? How many people have been sent this incorrect information and how was this able to happen in the first place? We are dealing with the most vulnerable people in our communities and they have been let down by the Scottish Government.
“I find this whole issue extremely concerning and I know the families who have contacted me about this matter are worried sick about their relatives who received these letters. They just don’t know what to do for the best due to the mixed messages they are receiving.
“The Scottish Government have to urgently look into their handling of this issue and get some confidence back into the system which has been severely dented due to these mistakes.”