THE chair of Argyll and Bute’s healthcare watchdog has called for more specific information to be made public about Covid-19 figures in the area.

Councillor Kieron Green was speaking after a number of positive cluster cases were announced in Argyll and Bute, most notably linked to a private gathering at Cove and Kilcreggan Bowling Club.

Councillor Green is chair of the integration joint board which oversees the work of Argyll and Bute’s health and social care partnership.

Speaking at a board meeting earlier this month, he said: “I would be very interested to know a bit more detail about the numbers of people with Covid-19 across Argyll and Bute.

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“We have had situations where we have gone public about this, or information has come out through other means.

“There was a case in Oban, cases at Hermitage Academy and Lochgilphead Joint Campus, and then most recently in Kilcreggan.

“I am now getting requests from the public on how many people in Oban, or Lochgilphead, or Campbeltown, are testing positive for Covid-19.

“When that happens it is becoming quite difficult to defend the line that we are not allowed to release that information on the grounds of patient confidentiality.

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"Is it possible for us to break down these numbers a bit more?”

Dr Nicola Schinaia, associate director of public health at the HSCP, said: “It is possible to be more open but having said that, I was looking into the possibility of having our reports with information on more specific towns in Argyll and Bute.”

NHS Highland chair, Professor Boyd Robertson, added: “We are abiding by Scottish Government policy. We had a system where internally, we could identify where there were hotspots, but that was not for public consumption.”

Board member Fiona Broderick said: “My husband and I get a regular update from the shielding service. The one we got yesterday said that the Scottish Government is working on a new tool to show what is happening in your area.”

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