Tag: care homes

Briggs: Unsatisfactory level of Covid-19 testing in Lothian care homes

Lothian MSP Miles Briggs says that the level of Covid-19 testing in care homes still falls well below the level expected.

The latest figures published by the Scottish Government on care home testing shows that 3,345 cumulative tests have been carried out on care home staff, and 2,840 cumulative tests have been carried out and care home residents, as of 14th June.

In Edinburgh and the Lothian only 646 care home staff and 376 care home residents tests were carried out between 8-14 June – despite a promise made last month by SNP Health Secretary Jeane Freeman that all care home staff would be tested.

Mr Briggs has questioned SNP Ministers commitment to testing, which he has repeatedly expressed his concerns about since the start of the Covid-19 outbreak.

There are an estimated 53,000 care home staff across Scotland.

Conservative Health spokesman Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said: “SNP Ministers have shown an unsatisfactory approach to testing, since the start of the Covid-19 outbreak and testing does not appear to be a central part of the Scottish Governments response to Covid-19.

“The SNP Minister for Health, Jeane Freeman, has shown that she is not committed to her promise last month that all care home staff would be tested.

“The level of testing that has been carried out through Edinburgh and the Lothians has simply not been good enough.

“A deadline must be confirmed for when all Care Home staff will be routinely tested for Covid-19 to keep care home staff and residents safe.”

Care home testing must increase, say Scottish Tories

SNP Ministers must step up their efforts and get on top of testing care home staff and residents in NHS Lothian.

2,665 care home staff and 2,460 care home residents have been tested cumulatively since the start of the Covid-19 outbreak, up to the 7th June.

This is despite SNP Health Secretary Jeane Freeman promising last month that every care home worker would be routinely tested.

The Scottish Conservatives challenged SNP First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on the matter at First Minister’s Questions where Nicola Sturgeon revealed only a fifth of care home staff had been routinely tested across the country.

Table 5 – Number of Tests – Care Home Staff and Residents
             
Number of Tests
Week Commencing 1 June Cumulative total to 7 June
NHS Board Staff Residents Staff Residents
Ayrshire and Arran                67                  30                689              579
Borders                22                  13                343              193
Dumfries & Galloway                  4                    7                  75              159
Fife             178                  30                763              372
Forth Valley             876               565            2,176           1,858
Grampian             115               167            1,709           1,668
Greater Glasgow & Clyde                17               678                920           5,709
Highland                47                  40                258              265
Lanarkshire                43               119                586              956
Lothian             566               327            2,665           2,460
Orkney                  6                    5                  20                 15
Shetland                  8                    9                  74                 52
Tayside             264               139                876              741
Western Isles                30                    4                  41                 22
Scotland          2,243            2,133          11,195        15,049

Scottish Government statistics reveal that across Scotland’s 14 health boards, only 18,110 care home staff have been tested out of an estimated 50,000 across the country – NHS Border said it didn’t have the capacity to run care home tests.

Lothian MSP Miles Briggs has repeatedly raised concerns over the level of testing in care homes since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Earlier this month it was revealed that over 900 hospital patients were discharged to care homes with being tested for Covid-19.

The Scottish Conservatives are calling for all for SNP Ministers to set a deadline for when all care home staff will be routinely tested.

Miles Briggs, who is the Conservative health spokesperson, said: “There has simply not been enough testing carried out in care homes since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has had disastrous consequences.

“SNP Ministers have been repeatedly told that testing is crucial for reducing the spread of Covid-19, but have slow to implement testing in care homes.

“In Edinburgh and the Lothians there have only been 2,665 tests carried out on care home staff, no where near as many as are necessary.

“Nicola Sturgeon and SNP Ministers must set a firm deadline as to when all care home staff will be tested.”

 

MSPs to quiz Health Secretary on coronavirus in care homes

The Scottish Parliament’s Health and Sport Committee is to question the Cabinet Secretary for Health Jeane Freeman on the impact of coronavirus on Scotland’s care homes.

Recent figures show more than half of Scotland’s Covid-19 deaths have taken place in care homes and Ms Freeman will be quizzed on the various issues faced by the care home sector.

Ahead of the meeting, Lewis Macdonald MSP, Health and Sport Committee Convener, said: “The shocking impact of coronavirus on Scotland’s care homes has been well documented with over half of Scotland’s deaths taking place in this setting.

“Some have felt that the NHS was prioritised over care homes at the outset of this pandemic and we are keen to examine whether this was the case.

“We also know that access to adequate PPE and lack of testing have impacted on care homes and we want to investigate these issues further.

“We are also seeking to find out how prepared care homes were for this crisis, what support the Government provided to them and how they will be supported to ensure that if there is a second wave of this deadly virus, care homes are not exposed again.”

The Committee’s meeting takes place this morning (Thursday 4th June) at 9.30am and will be broadcast live on www.scottishparliament.tv .

Crisis in Care Homes: People’s Assembly Scotland meeting tonight

Our “public” meeting focusing on the crisis in Care Homes is tonight – Tuesday 26th May at 7pm.

All are welcome to attend by using this link …

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 837 6700 9007

Password: 395182

“Social Care was in crisis before this pandemic arrived and made the situation many times worse and as you have seen in Care Homes exposed the failings in the sector.”

What do we want after the crisis?

Please share amongst your contacts and through your networks to ensure a good attendance.

Speakers include:

  • Deborah Clarke, Head of Community for UNISON Scotland.
  • Care worker Sandra Trotter

Phil McGarry (Chairperson) & Keith Stoddart (Secretary) 

Peoples Assembly Scotland

Care home staff and residents need support to manage their grief during Covid-19

Care home providers need to consider how they can provide support for their staff and residents during the Covid-19 pandemic, as they are likely to be experiencing significant concern and potentially grieving for residents who have died.

Covid-19 is causing thousands of deaths in UK care homes, so the British Psychological Society has launched new guidance to help staff and residents cope with this particularly frightening time.

Professor Nichola Rooney, chair of the BPS’s Covid-19 bereavement task force, said: “We have all seen distressing news reports and figures about the experience of our care homes during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Staff are doing all that they can to protect and comfort residents at an extremely distressing time, and it’s vital that managers give them the support that they need to provide this and to cope with their own grief and concerns

“I hope that this guidance is useful for care home staff, residents and their friends and family in navigating what is an unprecedented and often harrowing time.”

While staff working in a care home may have experienced residents dying before, the guidance says that this does not make each death any easier to cope with, and that staff often develop close relationships with people that they care for.

It suggests that the contagious nature of Covid-19, requiring staff to wear personal protective equipment when dealing with residents, means that some may feel they are unable to provide the comfort to people that they would want.

Care home managers can help staff by making sure that they are given regular opportunities to talk about how they’re feeling, and accommodate regular and frequent breaks. They can consider ways that staff can collectively remember residents who have died, and celebrate their lives.

Care home residents can often face a range of challenges depending on possible medical conditions, and even those in later stages of dementia will be affected by changes in the care home’s day-to-day life.

Staff need to make sure that they maintain communication with residents, even when it feels like this is always to bring sad news. They should explain why changes, such as staff having to wear PPE, are important.

The guidance should be read alongside ‘Supporting yourself and others: coping with death and grief during the Covid-19 pandemic’. They were both produced by the BPS’s Covid-19 bereavement task force.

 

Scottish Government strengthens oversight of care homes

New arrangements to significantly strengthen oversight of Scotland’s care homes have been published by the Scottish Government.

From today, clinical and care professionals at NHS boards and local authorities will have a lead role in the oversight for care homes in their area.

Every Health Board and local authority must put in place a multi-disciplinary team comprised of key clinical leads and the area’s Chief Social Work Officer.

The team’s remit will include daily discussions about the quality of care in each care home in their area, with particular focus on implementation of infection prevention and control, and the provision of expert clinical support to residents who have Coronavirus.

The short paper ‘Coronavirus (Covid 19) – enhanced professional clinical and care oversight of care homes’ also highlights issues around testing and contact tracing with escalation measures in place if issues cannot be resolved.

The paper builds on recent actions to ensure care home residents can be kept safe, including new guidance for the sector and amendments to the Coronavirus (Scotland) (No. 2) Bill which would ensure the swiftest possible intervention if care home residents are being put at serious risk due to services failing.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “The coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on Scotland’s social care services. It is of paramount importance that those using services, including residents of care homes and those supporting them, are provided with the best possible care and the Scottish Government is doing everything in its power to ensure that is the case.

“All organisations including care providers are responsible for effective and safe care in their services and are expected to work closely together and at pace to give effect to these arrangements. While these are unprecedented times, everything possible must be done to protect care home residents and staff from the effects of Covid-19.

“These new arrangements will ensure clarity and consistency across the country about the role of Health Boards and local authorities in helping to keep their residents safe from coronavirus and should be seen alongside other recent action the Scottish Government has taken, including publishing revised guidance for the sector, and amendments to the Coronavirus Bill being discussed at parliament next week.

“I want to assure staff, residents and their families that a safe residential environment in care homes remains our top priority.”

Coronavirus (Covid 19) – enhanced professional clinical and care oversight of care homes.

Regular care home testing essential, say Scottish Greens

Scottish Greens Lothian MSP Alison Johnstone has called on the Scottish Government to urgently introduce regular testing for staff in care homes in a bid to tackle the spread of coronavirus.

The party published proposals (see below) calling for the regular testing of frontline care workers and NHS staff in April, in a bid to ease the anxiety of staff and reduce the spread of the virus, yet the Scottish Government has resisted repeated requests to do so.

This refusal comes despite the proposal receiving the backing of influential organisations like the Royal College of Nursing and Royal College of Emergency Medicine.

Alison Johnstone MSP said: “It’s beyond doubt that regular testing is needed both to protect frontline staff and to get control of this virus.

“A growing list of experts and organisations have backed Scottish Green proposals for regular testing, so it is difficult to understand why the Scottish Government hasn’t made this a priority.

“Staff may be unknowingly spreading the virus in care homes, so it’s vital that the government uses the significant spare testing capacity it has available and introduces regular testing at once.”

https://greens.scot/sites/default/files/COVID-19%20Testing%20

 

Care Inspectorate takes legal action over Skye’s Home Farm Care Home

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The Care Inspectorate has taken legal action over the running of a private care home on Skye where seven residents have died in a coronavirus outbreak.

The inspectorate has asked the Sheriff Court to cancel the registration of the HC-One-owned Home Farm 40-bed nursing home facility in Portree.

It follows an unannounced inspection of the home on Tuesday.

A spokesperson for the Care Inspectorate said: “An inspection has identified serious and significant concerns about the quality of care experienced by residents at Home Farm Care Home in Skye. 

“We understand this is a difficult and distressing time for residents, their loved ones and staff at the home.

“However, our first priority is always the health and wellbeing of residents.

“We have submitted an application to the sheriff court seeking cancellation of the care home’s registration.

“This could mean new care arrangements will be put in place for residents at Home Farm care home.

“We are working closely with partners including NHS Highland to ensure that residents experience appropriate care during this difficult time.”

In addition to the seven deaths, 30 of the nursing home’s 34 residents and 29 staff have tested positive for Covid-19.

A spokesman for HC- One, who operate 56 homes in Scotland, told the BBC: “We have accepted the shortcomings at Home Farm and apologise to our residents, their families, and the local community. We are fully committed to making significant improvements at the home and determined to put things right.”

On HC-One’s website – their slogan is ‘the kind care company’ – Home Farm is described:

‘The home’s caring team has created a family atmosphere, encouraging everyone to eat and celebrate special occasions together. Residents are invited to decorate their rooms with small items of their own furniture and treasured belongings so that it feels just like home. Daily life is carefully designed to support mind, body and soul.

‘Home Farm’s Home Manager makes sure that all Residents receive the kindest possible care. Our extensively trained team will deliver all the nursing and specialist care and support services that your loved one requires.

‘Personalised care plans consider not only medical, personal and dietary needs, but also the individual’s likes and dislikes, religious preferences, and suggestions from family members that might make their stay with us that little bit more enjoyable’.

On 29 April, HC-One wrote to local authorities seeking additional funds:

As we have done throughout the coronavirus crisis, we firmly believe we have a responsibility to our Residents, our Colleagues and to the wider public to highlight the challenges facing care homes at this unprecedented time.

This is why we have published online each day the total number of coronavirus cases and deaths experienced at our homes, and why we are also publishing in full the letter we have sent to the Local Authorities we work with regarding our request for financial support.

The Government has previously announced £3.2bn of additional funding for Local Authorities in response to the additional costs placed on them and their partners, which include all social care providers, by the coronavirus outbreak. We welcomed this announcement and the priority now is that this money reaches the front line.

As set out in our letter, HC-One has been significantly impacted by coronavirus including most importantly and most sadly the loss of more than 700 Residents and three Colleagues from this terrible virus. Alongside this, admissions have understandably fallen, and costs have significantly increased as we invest in the PPE needed to keep our Residents and Colleagues safe.

As a responsible provider, we entered this year and this crisis in a very strong financial position. In response to the financial impact of coronavirus we have taken a range of measures, including engaging with our lenders and our owners, to make sure we have the balance sheet resilience needed to see us through this challenging time.

These are prudent and responsible steps to take, as is looking at our income in the short term and engaging with the organisations that pay for the Residents living in our homes.

The Local Government Association and the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, which represents Local Authorities and Social Care Commissioners respectively, have highlighted that care providers experienced a predicted 10% increase in costs linked to their coronavirus response.

Our letter therefore seeks to start a conversation with our Local Authority partners on how we can access some of the additional funding provided by Government to cover these additional costs.

We clearly set out the impact of the virus on our organisation, the statistical modelling we’ve completed that shows the predicted future impact of this deadly virus, the proactive steps we have taken to build financial resilience, and our request to discuss an income guarantee to assist us in the short term.
 
This request aligns with the Government’s COVID-19 Social Care Action Plan, which states Local Authorities must “protect providers’ cashflow”, and reflects the offers we’ve already received from some of our Local Authority partners who recognise the vital role our homes play in communities across the UK.
 
We are fortunate to be in a financially stable position, and to have the support of owners who are invested in the organisation and its mission for the long-term. We are therefore confident we can ‘weather the storm’ caused by coronavirus. Nevertheless, the responsible and prudent action was to engage with our funders, commissioners and lenders to make sure we build the most resilient financial position possible to achieve this.  
 
As we move forward during this public health emergency, HC-One will continue to focus solely on protecting the health and wellbeing of our Residents and Colleagues.

This includes providing the PPE, training and wellbeing support our teams need, but also engaging transparently in conversations with our funding partners about the additional financial support required to support our organisation.

Since the Care Inspectorate’s intervention it has been announced than an eighth resident has died.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman and Scottish Care CEO Donald Macaskill have wriiten a joint letter to all care home staff in Scotland this morning.

JF_and_DM_-_CARE_HOME_STAFF_letter_-_May_2020

An inspection report will be published in due course.

Care Homes and Coronavirus: Holyrood committee launches survey

The Scottish Parliament’s Health and Sport Committee has launched a survey looking into the particular issues faced by care homes during the coronavirus pandemic.

The digital survey is aiming to finding out the preparedness of care homes to respond to this pandemic, and how they have been supported and equipped to deal with its effects. The Committee is seeking views from care home residents, their families and care homes staff.

Over the coming weeks, the Committee will be undertaking a series of short inquiries into the Scottish Government’s response to the pandemic.

As well as looking at the issues faced by care homes, the Committee will be looking at the Government’s testing policy, issues around personal protective equipment (PPE), and the emergency planning and preparation that was in place with a view to supporting the health and social care sector’s ability to manage any potential ‘second wave’ of the virus, or future pandemic.

Lewis Macdonald MSP, Health and Sport Committee Convener, said: “As the death toll from the coronavirus pandemic has continued to rise, it has become clear that care homes in particular have suffered many tragic losses.

“The most recent data from the National Records of Scotland shows more than half of Scotland’s coronavirus deaths are now happening in care homes.

“This is shocking and has a devastating impact on residents, staff and their families.

“Our Committee is determined to find out the issues that care homes are facing, how they have been supported by the Government and what can be done now to help them deal with this unprecedented challenge.”

The survey is available here: www.parliament.scot/care-homes-covid

It closes on 20th May.

Over 250 care homes receive vital PPE thanks to rapid response specialists

AN EMERGENCY rapid response specialist has supplied vital PPE to over 250 care homes across the UK within 24 hours of receiving a request for the ‘lifesaving’ equipment.

Voyage Care, which has 259 learning disability care homes throughout the UK, put out a call for additional suppliers of PPE.

ECO, which has set up a full COVID-19 emergency rapid response solutions operation, responded by supplying 70,000 surgical masks within 24 hours.

Lyndsay Beal, an operations manager at Voyage Care, said: “As the country struggles to source enough PPE, we wanted to expand our approved suppliers and to add to our stocks quickly. 

“ECO had it transported to me within 24 hours. It’s good quality equipment, at a good price – they haven’t increased prices during this difficult time. It’s exactly what we needed and I’m pleased to be working with ECO. This equipment is a lifesaver.

“We have over 10,000 staff all over the UK, and keeping our staff and the people we support safe is our number one priority.

“We are following all the government guidelines. So being able to ensure we have a sustainable supply of PPE is really important for us, our staff and the people we support.

“We are also working with our procurement team to look at sourcing our hand sanitiser from ECO as well, which will also help us.

“I must praise our staff at Voyage Care as well. They have been fantastic through this and teams have all come together to support each other like one big family.”

The team at ECO, with bases in Cumbria and Scotland, are experts in rapid response solutions and pride themselves on ‘getting stuff done’.

ECO has set up a full COVID-19 rapid response solutions operation with a range of anti-virus sanitiser, PPE including masks and visors, testing kits, testing pods, medical beds, and emergency buildings.

It has already answered the call to help a factory, which has a government order for manufacturing vital material for visors for the NHS, to continue production 24/7 by supplying anti-virus sanitiser and an on-call emergency sanitising team.

Eddie Black, managing director of ECO, said: “When we heard thousands of care home staff and residents across the UK were struggling to source PPE we wanted to help.

“We have a secure supply of PPE, including surgical masks. We also have anti-virus sanitiser, and testing kits and testing pods, so we were happy to supply them what they needed.

“Care home staff all over the country – just like the NHS and other emergency workers – are doing an incredible job.

“If anyone needs our expertise, we will get our teams onto it immediately to achieve what needs to be done.”

Any organisation or business which would benefit from ECO’s help is asked to contact 01461 500 206 or email response@teameco.co.uk or visit www.teameco.co.uk for more information.