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New regulations for fire prevention in residential care homes have been announced by the Scottish executive following the death in January of 14 older people in a fire in Rosepark residential care home in Lanarkshire, writes Maggie Wood.

Mary Mulligan, deputy communities minister, announced new proposals for sprinkler systems to be installed in new and converted care home buildings from May next year.
 
The minister added that new national guidance for existing buildings including those with multiple occupancy will be introduced to take account of the lessons learned from the Rosepark tragedy.

Michael Matheson, shadow deputy justice minister, who introduced a sprinkler bill to parliament nearly three years ago, said it was regrettable that up to now three separate executive ministers had refused to consider introducing sprinkler systems in care homes. 

He said: “Clearly the tragic deaths at Rosepark illustrated the vulnerability of care home residents, and this obviously focused minds, including the ministers’.”
 
He has agreed to suspend the bill until the executive’s proposals are introduced.