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Coronavirus has ripped through care homes
22,000 UK care home residents have died, so far, with Covid-19
At the peak of the pandemic, 540 died in a single day
@BBCPanorama has spoken to some of those forgotten on the front line
[Thread] http://bbc.in/30fqMLa
22,000 UK care home residents have died, so far, with Covid-19
At the peak of the pandemic, 540 died in a single day
@BBCPanorama has spoken to some of those forgotten on the front line
[Thread] http://bbc.in/30fqMLa
More than 400,000 people live in care homes in England
According to official minutes, care homes didn’t appear on a Sage (the government’s scientific advisory panel) agenda for the first 11 meetings relating to coronavirus
http://bbc.in/30fqMLa
According to official minutes, care homes didn’t appear on a Sage (the government’s scientific advisory panel) agenda for the first 11 meetings relating to coronavirus
http://bbc.in/30fqMLa
“It remains very unlikely that people receiving care in a care home or the community will become infected… There is no need to do anything differently... at present” said official advice on 25 February
The first time Sage discussed care homes was 3 March
http://bbc.in/30fqMLa
The first time Sage discussed care homes was 3 March
http://bbc.in/30fqMLa
Care homes warned ordering PPE was a major problem for care homes, as many suppliers diverted to providing for the NHS, and prices skyrocketed
http://bbc.in/30fqMLa
http://bbc.in/30fqMLa
On 17 March, NHS England sent hospitals a letter saying all medically-fit patients should be discharged as soon as possible
There was no requirement for testing
http://bbc.in/30fqMLa
There was no requirement for testing
http://bbc.in/30fqMLa
Data from 39 hospital trusts shows 75% of those discharged between early March to mid-April were untested
Sage says hospital patients “may have been an important source” of Covid-19 in care homes
http://bbc.in/30fqMLa
Sage says hospital patients “may have been an important source” of Covid-19 in care homes
http://bbc.in/30fqMLa
For the first six weeks, graphs showing coronavirus deaths at daily briefings only showed hospital deaths
Care home numbers were not included
Hospital deaths linked to Covid-19 peaked in England on 8 April, the peak in care homes followed soon after
http://bbc.in/30fqMLa
Care home numbers were not included
Hospital deaths linked to Covid-19 peaked in England on 8 April, the peak in care homes followed soon after
http://bbc.in/30fqMLa
The week of 13 April was when care home deaths peaked
More than 3,300 residents died in England and Wales
At its worst, 540 died in a single day
http://bbc.in/30fqMLa
More than 3,300 residents died in England and Wales
At its worst, 540 died in a single day
http://bbc.in/30fqMLa
BBC Panorama spoke to 124 care home providers, who manage 350+ homes:
71 said they felt pressured to take untested patients from hospitals
73 felt pressured not to send residents to hospital
92 said clinicians were reluctant to visit in March & April
http://bbc.in/30fqMLa
71 said they felt pressured to take untested patients from hospitals
73 felt pressured not to send residents to hospital
92 said clinicians were reluctant to visit in March & April
http://bbc.in/30fqMLa
“Nobody really thought about the challenge that care organisations were going to face until, if I’m being brutal, the body count became so high they couldn’t ignore it,” said Mark Adams from Community Integrated Care
http://bbc.in/30fqMLa
http://bbc.in/30fqMLa
On 15 April Matt Hancock set out an action plan, including testing all discharges to care homes, all care home residents and staff showing symptoms
By then about 25,000 people in England had been discharged to care homes, many without being tested
http://bbc.in/30fqMLa
By then about 25,000 people in England had been discharged to care homes, many without being tested
http://bbc.in/30fqMLa
One care home in Kent had no cases until early May, but then the virus spread through its residents
19 residents tested positive, nearly half those living at the home died
The home normally averages about three deaths a year, but it had nine in 10 days
http://bbc.in/30fqMLa
19 residents tested positive, nearly half those living at the home died
The home normally averages about three deaths a year, but it had nine in 10 days
http://bbc.in/30fqMLa
The government says it will bring forward plans for reforming the care system in the near future
Officials say they have started cross-party talks on what they say is as "a complex issue"
http://bbc.in/30fqMLa
Officials say they have started cross-party talks on what they say is as "a complex issue"
http://bbc.in/30fqMLa
The government’s response to the pandemic in the social care sector was “slow, inconsistent and at times negligent” is the damning verdict of MPs on the Public Accounts Committee in their 29 July report
Read more of the @BBCPanorama report here: http://bbc.in/30fqMLa
Read more of the @BBCPanorama report here: http://bbc.in/30fqMLa
