Care homes ‘were told to let victims die’

MOST VULNERABLE Resident in care home

SOME care homes were told to introduce blanket “do not resuscitate” orders at the height of the pandemic, says a report.

The Queen’s Nursing Institute found that one in 10 care home staff expressed alarm about being asked to impose DNR plans for all residents – which say a patient should not be revived with a defibrillator or CPR.

Staff were concerned there was no discussion with families, nurses or residents.

Professor Alison Leary called the findings “really worrying” and wants an inquiry.

Labour said the use of blanket orders was “scandalous” and the National Pensioners’ Convention’s Jan Shortt said the survey proved “our oldest and most vulnerable were merely seen as collateral damage”. One staff member said they were advised “to have them [DNR orders] in place for all residents”.

Another said the orders were “sometimes changed without inclusion of family or the resident”.

Half of those concerned worked with elderly residents, half worked with younger people with learning disabilities. Covid-19 caused around 20,000 care home deaths up to June.

The survey revealed a fifth of the 163 homes received patients from hospitals who tested positive in March and April. And 43% of staff reported patients arrived without being tested.

Prof Leary, from London South Bank University, said: “That 10% of respondents raised an issue is really worrying.

“These decisions were being made by NHS managers, not clinicians. And this wasn’t just happening with elderly people, it was those with learning disabilities or cognitive problems of all ages. I think there should be an inquiry.”

Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth told the Mirror that it was an “atrocious failure” by Boris Johnson that care home residents and staff had been left “unprotected and exposed to Covid-19”.

He added: “It’s scandalous blanket do not resuscitate orders were used.”

The Department of Health and Social Care said: “It is unacceptable for advance care plans, including Do Not Attempt Resuscitation orders, to be applied in a blanket fashion.”

It’s a scandal that blanket DNR orders were used in homes

JONATHAN ASHWORTH ON THE REVELATIONS