CHAOS OF THE BROKEN PROMISES TO STAFF IN CARE HOMES NEEDING TESTS
WEEKLY tests of care home staff to protect residents against coronavirus are not happening, despite being promised months ago, the chief executive of Care England says.
Many homes have also been unable to vaccinate vulnerable people against flu because of supply problems, said Professor Martin Green, who claimed the testing regime is “in chaos”.
He said: “There have been a lot of promises made around this that have not been honoured. What happened to the ring of steel around care homes that was pledged by government? It’s ridiculous.”
Conservative peer Baroness Ros Altmann said: “It is beyond belief that we’re still leaving care homes without the testing that they desperately need.
“It is also cruel to leave care residents as sitting ducks, living with dread and fear in their daily lives and not knowing if they have picked up the virus.
“It is clear that the system is not working but we don’t know why. Everyone is blaming everyone else. So we need parliamentary accountability.”
Between March and June nearly 20,000 care home residents died with Covid-19 in the UK.
The virus accounts for just under a third of all deaths in the homes. Research also shows one in four people who die with Covid-19 have dementia, making it one of the largest risk factors.
In July, the Government announced that staff working in homes would receive a weekly test, with residents tested every month.
But Professor Green, whose work covers homes across England, said this has not been delivered.
Although there are no official figures on how many tests are carried out, Professor Green said in some areas there are reports that homes are waiting 15 days for results to come back. In other cases, results are coming back after the next test is due. He said: “The regime is in chaos. Some areas are unable to get tests on time and others are not getting results quickly enough.”
Elsewhere, care home owners have complained that tests have been lost or that they have been forced to throw away hundreds of tests because couriers did not turn up in time.
Professor Green said: “The regime has got worse due to the increase in demand. But reliable, accurate, speedy and efficient testing is crucial. Care homes are an absolute priority and the Government must do everything it can to ensure this.”
He added there were also problems with the flu vaccines, with staff unable to get sufficient quantities.
Scientists have encouraged people to get the flu vaccine following a study that indicated having coronavirus and flu at the same time puts people at a significantly higher risk of dying. The over-65s have priority for a flu vaccine, although all over-50s are advised to have one.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said there will be enough to go round but chemist chain Boots has stopped offering them to the under-65s.
Professor Green said many care homes had also struggled to get the vaccines.
He said: “We were promised vaccines for staff and residents but in many areas these have been suspended because of supply problems. What has happened?
“They knew we needed this for months. Many people are also trying to book vaccines via a website and are facing massive queues.”
He questioned why the treatments were not in place despite care homes being a soft target for Covid.
He said: “They have basically failed to deliver and, as a result, many homes are not able to reinstate visitors. Some people hav haven’t seen a relative fo for months.”
Professor Hugh Pennington, a leading expert in virology at the University of Aberdeen, said Covid testing is vital, and t that it is pointless to h hope a vaccine will save th the He day. eh said: “The biggest sca scandal is infections and dea deaths in care homes, and this has not been completely resolved.
“If you were to have a good testing regime for staff every two weeks you could be as certain as anyone could be that there is no virus in a home and relatives could visit.”
Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: “The fact that Covid-19 cases are rising again in care homes will be filling millions of older people and their families with dread.
“Testing remains crucial. Government must up its game. None of us will ever forget what happened when Covid-19 came roaring in and for every care home resident we must make sure that it never happens again.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “We are providing tests at an unprecedented scale but there has been significant demand so we are expanding capacity rapidly and bringing in technology to process tests faster.
“This winter we have sufficient flu vaccine for up to 30 million people in England. Deliveries for those in the at-risk groups has started and will continue in England throughout the winter months.”
● Care homes will be given ipads to help residents keep in touch with loved ones. Up to 11,000 tablets will be distributed to thousands of homes across England.