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Care home residents sacrificed to protect NHS during pandemic
Covid inquiry reveals 43,000 care home deaths as virus spread 'like wildfire' due to government failures.
In brief
Covid inquiry reveals 43,000 care home deaths as virus spread 'like wildfire' due to government failures. Covid inquiry finds 43,000 care home residents died during pandemic after government failed to protect them from virus. Originally reported by Dailymail.
Care home residents sacrificed
Covid inquiry found vulnerable residents treated as 'afterthought' to protect NHS.
“Vulnerable care home residents were treated as an 'afterthought' and sacrificed to 'protect the NHS'”
43,000 deaths caused
More than 43,000 residents died after hospitals discharged infected patients without adequate protections.
“More than 43,000 residents died after hospitals discharged infected patients into care homes without adequate protections”
Virus spread like wildfire
Virus spread rapidly due to lack of isolation, testing and PPE for care workers.
“the virus to 'spread like wildfire'”
False protective ring claim
Health secretary Matt Hancock claimed ministers threw 'protective ring' around care homes 'right from the start'.
“Claims by the then health secretary Matt Hancock that ministers had thrown a 'protective ring' around care homes 'right from the start' were untrue”
Inadequate protections
Care homes lacked proper isolation, testing and PPE leading to workers wearing bin bags or waterproof ponchos.
“care workers lacked personal protective equipment (PPE), meaning they were forced to wear bin bags or waterproof ponchos from music festivals”
Visiting restrictions
Visiting restrictions caused enormous harm and significant decline in health for residents with dementia.
“visiting restrictions caused 'enormous harm' and resulted in 'significant decline' in some people, particularly those with dementia”
Dying without loved ones
Residents not allowed to be with dying loved ones leaving bereaved people grief-stricken.
“People were not allowed to be with dying friends or relatives in their final moments, leaving bereaved people 'grief-stricken'”
Pre-pandemic planning
Exercise Cygnus showed need for more pandemic planning but was not completed by 2020.
“Exercise Cygnus, a pandemic preparedness exercise conducted in October 2016, said more work was needed to ensure there would be enough surge capacity in care homes in the event of a pandemic but this had not been completed by the time the outbreak hit”
End-of-life decisions
Some DNACPR decisions made inappropriately without proper consultation.
“The inquiry examined concerns about the use of Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR) decisions and found some were made inappropriately or without proper consultation”
Care worker burnout
Care workers suffered burnout and some left profession due to pandemic stress.
“The report found care workers put their own lives at risk to help others, with some suffering 'burnout' and some leaving the profession early as a result of what they endured”
PPE failures
Failure to provide adequate PPE was 'wholly unacceptable' for care workers.
“The failure to give them adequate PPE was 'wholly unacceptable' and the role of the care sector in society has been 'undervalued and under-recognised' for too long”
Inquiry recommendations
Report includes eight key recommendations for better care home protection.
“Today's report into the care sector is the sixth of ten modules and has eight key recommendations to add to the 55 issued in the previous modules”
Government response
Health secretary Yvette Cooper pledged government would respond to report 'in due course'.
“Health secretary Yvette Cooper told the House of Commons the government would respond fully to the report 'in due course'”
Public reaction
Bereaved families called Hancock's claim a 'sickening lie' and 'joke'.
“Bereaved families have previously called the phrase a 'sickening lie' and a 'joke'”
Inquiry conclusion
Inquiry states government failures caused 'devastating consequences' for care home residents.
“In the end, action to protect carers and residents came 'too late', with 'devastating consequences'”
The short version
Covid inquiry finds 43,000 care home residents died during pandemic after government failed to protect them from virus.
