Horrifying extent of the betrayal is revealed

CARE homes have been abandoned to coronavirus and forced to take in infected patients with little means of preventing outbreaks, a survey reveals today.

A third of UK homes say they have accepted hospital patients with the virus even though fewer than half were able to properly isolate them and control spread.

Three quarters claim GPs have been reluctant to visit and more than half say they are not confident they can source enough protective clothing.

The survey of 105 care homes by the Alzheimer’s Society also found that one in four had struggled to get their residents admitted to hospital when seriously ill with the virus.

Kate Lee, chief executive of the charity, said: ‘It’s tragically clear care homes were left to fend for themselves against coronavirus, and unfortunately still are.

‘Despite the heroic efforts of care workers, the precious lives of people with dementia and all those in homes are still being put in danger. Up to 70 per of people in care homes have dementia and right now it feels like they are being written off.’

The most recent figures from the National Records for Scotland show 1,195 care home residents have died from coronavirus so far. The data also revealed that nearly 43 per cent of Scotland’s Covid-19 deaths have taken place in care homes.

The Alzheimer’s Society survey, which asked care homes across the UK for their experiences, found that 32 per cent had taken covid-positive patients from hospitals since the start of the outbreak.

Several managers stated they felt pressured to accept these patients either directly by NHS or council officials or through an underlying sense it was their duty to society.

But 58 per cent of homes did not feel they could effectively isolate infected patients, meaning they were at risk of triggering outbreaks. Many homes look after dementia patients who are liable to wander off, especially without one-to-one staff care.

Another 75 per cent said GPs had been ‘reluctant’ to visit since the start of the outbreak, either to see unwell residents or after they had died to sign death certificates.

One care home manager said doctors preferred to try and treat patients remotely as well as sign death certificates over the phone, to avoid contracting the virus.

The survey, completed by care home managers in the past fortnight, also found that only 43 per cent were confident they could get hold of enough personal protective equipment (PPE) in the coming weeks.

One home said staff had resorted to taping bags around their arms, hair and feet, while another had sourced visors from a local school.

A further 25 per cent said there were occasions when residents who were seriously ill with coronavirus should have been admitted to hospital but were not.

But the fact that a third accepted covid-positive patients despite not having adequate PPE nor measures to stop the infection spreading will raise serious concerns.

Last Saturday, the Mail revealed how the Care Quality Commission was investigating whether hospitals had sent covid-positive patients into care homes without telling them.

The Scottish Government guidance states new care home admissions should be isolated for 14 days and tested for covid.

A spokesman for Scottish Care, which represents care homes north of the Border, said: ‘Scottish Care has advised its members to adopt a strict 14-day isolation period upon admission of any new resident to a car home from virtually the start of the pandemic – a robust admission process which now includes testing.

‘Because of the initial support of the Scottish Government, providers are able to access PPE through emergency supplies. However, alongside others we are faced with major challenges of sourcing PPE.

‘GPs have restricted their visits to care homes and the use of technology has increased to support diagnosis and assessment. However we have no evidence there are significant instances of GPs refusing to visit care homes.’

‘Feels like they are being written off’