Care homes were bullied into accepting coronavirus patients, research reveals
Care homes were pressured into accepting patients with coronavirus (Covid-19) while simultaneously being refused treatment for residents by hospitals and GPs, research has revealed.
A report by the Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI) found homes were told that hospitals had a blanket “no admissions” policy at the height of the pandemic.
The QNI, a charity which focuses on the improvement of nursing care of people in their own home, found care home residents were regularly refused treatment in April and May.
Published by the Independent, the research also found that GPs and local managers in some homes had placed unlawful ‘do not resuscitate’ orders on residents.
“Do not resuscitate”
The survey of nurses and managers in 163 care homes across England, Wales and north of Ireland found 56% said their physical and mental health had suffered due to the stress of the pandemic.
- Seventy homes, 43% of those surveyed, said they had received a patient discharged from hospital during March or April that had not been tested for the virus.
- A fifth said they had received a patient discharged from hospital who was positive for coronavirus.
- One in four homes said it was difficult to get hospital treatment for patients.
- While a third said they had had difficulty accessing GPs and district nurses.
One nurse said:
Read on...
The acute sector pushed us to take untested admissions.
The two weeks of daily deaths during an outbreak were possibly the two worst weeks of my 35-year nursing career.
Another reported being told to change the status of all the home’s residents to “do not resuscitate” but said staff had refused to comply.
There was no “protective ring around care homes”
Crystal Oldman, chief executive of the QNI, said she was worried by the number of homes that had been unable to access support from GPs, district nurses and hospitals. She said:
We were really surprised to see this.
These are universal health services. It is completely opposite to the protective ring around care homes that was being talked about at the time.
In April a report by NHS Providers, a body representing more than 200 NHS trusts in England, boasted that the health service had freed up 33,000 beds by “tearing up red tape” and overhauling discharge policies.
It said in a report:
…the NHS has completely rewritten its discharge procedures in a week to enable a much more rapid discharge process… hospitals have discharged record numbers of patients in record time.
We know everyone is suffering under the Tories - but the Canary is a vital weapon in our fight back, and we need your support
The Canary Workers’ Co-op knows life is hard. The Tories are waging a class war against us we’re all having to fight. But like trade unions and community organising, truly independent working-class media is a vital weapon in our armoury.
The Canary doesn’t have the budget of the corporate media. In fact, our income is over 1,000 times less than the Guardian’s. What we do have is a radical agenda that disrupts power and amplifies marginalised communities. But we can only do this with our readers’ support.
So please, help us continue to spread messages of resistance and hope. Even the smallest donation would mean the world to us.
-
Show Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to leave a comment.Join the conversationPlease read our comment moderation policy here.
Care homes were bullied into accepting coronavirus patients, research reveals— well not just Care home being bullied by Tory Govt now All of Lancashire is Why? is Tory Govt using lock -down as a political toll not for safty reason? any more for public safety from C/19 Virus mess. Can Tory party members including Tory voters? tell us in Lancashire areas WHY? London is not in lock -down NOW as they have bad areas of Virus infection now but are not in any lock -down WHY?
Boris-Hancock -Andrew Stephenson-all local area Tory Cllr, Tory M.P.in Lancashire area that are enforcing lock -down on low infected areas Just to keep their Tory P.M. Boris happy in London. Point of this post!!—Is if we in Lancashire area are in a Harder NEW lock-down put in place NOW by Boris + Hancock + Tory M.P/Cllr alike.
I personally do not see any point just for political points scoring by Tory Govt in London –Of us parents sending back our kids just to infect us at home.- Remembering true FACT HERE Tory Govt placed us in a new Harder lock -down in Lancashire areas because they say our area are a risk more now of spreading the Virus –So to all parent of kids going back to school in Sept mixing with all different KIDS they will also be spreading the Virus faster in our area? Possibly including local area teachers as well
So, what’s the true point of lock-down? in Lancashire area ONLY Boris, Hancock, local area Tory Cllr can you all in Govt explain to us Lancashire residents/voter –WHY? Rich Londoners areas + centre of London is not in lock-down now your infection rate is not good their Boris So WHY? Just pick on Lancashire to Lock-down? What political statement are you trying Enforce on all us residents of Lancashire Boris could it be a Tory puppet Mayor running our area plus to trash area of Lancashire yes or no Boris.
So time to come clean to us voters plus residents of Lancashire areas all you Tory party member plus Boris also including useless SAGE Bosses miss leading us public now just to aid Tory Govt political Agenda there on now WHILE hiding in London now out of the way of Lancashire residents and voters.
Since a high proportion of deaths due to Covid19 occurred in care homes, it is important to review this objectively to learn lessons for future practice. However, essentially anecdotal reports such as this, by a body which represents a particular interest is unhelpful. The role of private care home owners and their contractual duties towards residents and staff have not been properly examined by the media and sites like the Canary. Indeed, some, like the Morning Star seem to be on the side of owners. The self-proclaimed ‘progressives’ have not shown themselves in a good light on this matter, appearing to be using many tragedies for their own narrow political agendas.
Care homes were bullied into accepting coronavirus patients, research reveals Just some polite questions here— AlasdairMacdonald –If you had a loved one in any N.H.S. Hospital for any reason be it not connected to C/19 Virus ailment.
Q– would you be concerned about your family member getting shipped to a local old people home untested for C/19 Virus yes or no?
Q– would you expect Govt Health Ministers in make sure your family member being moved was tested before being shipped off to a old people home yes or no?
Q–Do you agree the Tory Govt itself as said it was moving older patent about untested to local area old people home to cleaner out bed spaces. yes or no?
FINALLY!—In my personal opinion here on this matter is the Tory Govt failed the older people plus their family members by not testing them all on day one of outbreak yet still moved the old people about local areas before moving then into new old people home they did not test them right until it was made public WHY?—Tory Govt Health Minister Hancock failed the old people plus care home on this matter and as Not apologised for the mess plus loss of life he made of the problem He and Boris + SAGE + over Tory Minister failed fully to address before even moving any old person from a safe Hospital environment.