A GLASGOW GP surgery’s approach to patients was branded “morally indefensible” today after telling the relatives of care-home residents that they would not be recommended for coronavirus treatment as they probably would not survive.

Relatives were told of the decision not to send their loved ones staying at the Ailsa Craig home to hospital if they contract the infection in a letter from the Midlock medical centre, which has 8,800 patients.

The letter said: “Evidence shows that the elderly and those with significant underlying medical conditions often do not recover.

“Should your relative be very unwell with Covid-19, we do not believe that hospital-based ventilation would be appropriate as it is very unlikely that your relative would survive.

“We would not recommend admission to hospital but instead aim to keep your relative comfortable in Ailsa Craig.”

The letter said that in “certain situations” such as a broken hip “hospital admission would be considered” for their loved ones.

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said: “It makes clear that this surgery would not seek to get potential coronavirus patients into hospital under any circumstances, and would only ‘consider’ hospital in the event of a serious accident.

“To justify this by saying that if a resident fell ill with coronavirus then a ventilator is of no use because they would almost certainly die anyway is not only inconsistent with medical evidence but is morally indefensible.

“Residents of care homes deserve the same high quality of care that the rest of society receives.”

Mr Leonard said that such treatment of care residents is “discriminatory — and highly upsetting for their families.”