Press Release, 26th June, 2015

Concern over spike in elderly deaths

Greenock and Inverclyde MSP Duncan McNeil has written to the Scottish Government’s Health Minister raising concerns about the spike in elderly deaths in the area.

The National Records of Scotland recently released figures showing that the number of over-65s who have died so far this year has risen by a staggering 45 per cent when compared to the previous quarter.

In his letter to the Minister Duncan McNeil states:

“The National Records of Scotland recorded 83 more deaths here in the first three months of the year when compared with the same period in 2014. This significant increase is in stark contrast with a much smaller 20 per cent rise in Scotland as a whole.”

“In light of this, I ask you to consider initiating an investigation to get to the bottom of why there has been such a sharp rise. I’m sure you will agree that at a time when we have more elderly people and there are changes to services, anomalies such as this should be accounted for.”