Mum was battling for her life...why did carer not have PPE?
DISTRAUGHT Sharon Chalk says she is “broken in two” after a picture showed her mother being hugged by an unprotected care home assistant three days before she caught Covid-19.
A smiling Diana Reeve, 84, is seen sitting outside the home in a wheelchair alongside a care assistant at the height of the coronavirus lockdown on April 16.
Last night she lost her fight for life in a hospital’s palliative care ward.
There is no suggestion the carer had coronavirus or passed it on but Sharon is aghast that staff were not wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) to safeguard themselves and residents.
The picture was sent on April 21. Just three days later Sharon received a call from Prince George House, in Ipswich, saying her mother had a temperature and a cough – telltale signs of the deadly virus.
By April 26 Diana was struggling to breathe and hours later Sharon, 57, received a call saying that her mother had been taken to
Ipswich Hospital.
Sharon said last night: “As soon as I received that photo I thought ‘Why aren’t they wearing gloves and a mask?’ She has heart failure for goodness sake.
“I was told I couldn’t see mum because of the virus but when [carers] go round seeing all the residents not wearing PPE it makes me so angry and upset.
“When I last saw my mum in the middle of March she was smiling and happy. Now look at her.
“I am broken in two. I feel for the other residents too. It is so wrong.”
Diana, who had heart and kidney disease, was swabbed for coronavirus at the home on April 26 and confirmed positive on April 30 before dying last night.
Britain’s largest independent NHS services provider Care UK, which runs Prince George House, said the assistant was not required to wear PPE when the picture was taken.
All staff were now wearing masks and gloves, it said.A spokesman said: “The photograph was sent to Mrs Chalk at her request because she wanted reassurance her mother was well and happy.
Guidance from Public Health England at the time of this photo was that PPE was needed when within two metres of anyone displaying symptoms of coronavirus.
“The home did not have any residents showing any symptoms that might suggest Covid-19 on that date or for more than a week afterwards.
“The first [coronavirus] test required in the home was carried out on April 26 and we have access to testing for all who need it.”
When asked if the carer was not wearing PPE because of inadequate supplies, the company said: “The home has always had a good stock of PPE.”
One care home CEO shown the picture said: “Government guidelines state that if a carer is within two metres of a service user they are to wear the correct PPE – mask and gloves. This is to protect the service user and the staff member.”
Jayne Connery, of Care Campaign for the Vulnerable, said: “We are saddened to see that despite the appearance of affection visible in this photo between staff member and resident this captured moment occurred during early
‘When I last saw mum she was smiling and happy. I’m broken in two’
lockdown. It seems regardless of this carer’s obvious kindness, advice on wearing PPE had not been followed and worryingly the home has confirmed they had sufficient amounts of PPE for staff.
“Our question now is why were their vulnerable residents and care staff placed at unnecessary risk of contracting Covid-19 simply because PPE wasn’t in place?”
The company said there had been six coronavirus cases at Prince George House, which is rated as good by the Care Quality Commission watchdog.
The first case of Covid-19 was identified on April 26 and since then another resident died of the virus. The Department of Health and Social Care said: “We are doing everything we can to protect our most vulnerable and ensure the social care sector has the support its needs during this unprecedented global outbreak.
“We’ve given an extra £1.6 billion to local authorities to address the additional pressures, are using our increased testing capacity to test symptomatic care home residents, care staff and their families
“The Government has also published clear guidance for social care staff on how they can work safely in care homes.”