, Shadow Minister for Social
Care, commenting on ONS statistics showing
deaths in care homes remain high, said:
“These statistics show a horrific increase in the number of
people who have died in care homes. The Government has been
warned that the increase in the infection rate has been driven by
the epidemic in care homes and yet it has failed to tackle
it.
“There is still complete confusion about testing, with care
homes telling MPs they have been unable to access tests. We were
promised in April that the Government would test all care home
residents and staff and yet yesterday it said this could not be
guaranteed until next month.
“This is unacceptable. Tackling the virus in care homes
must be an absolute priority and the Government must now give
social care the resources, support and attention it needs to stop
the spread of this awful virus.”
Ends
Notes to editors:
1. ONS
statistics show 8312 deaths in care homes in England and Wales up
to 1 May, up from 5890 in the previous week. The statistics show
that in the most recent days, the proportion of deaths occurring
in care homes has accounted for 40.4% of all deaths involving
Covid-19.
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsregisteredweeklyinenglandandwalesprovisional/weekending1may2020#deaths-registered-by-place-of-occurrence
2. Sir
Ian Diamond told the Downing Street press conference that the
increase in the R rate was down to the epidemic in care
homes
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/05/07/coronavirus-rate-has-increased-government-advisers-say-threatening/
3. The
Coronavirus recovery strategy sets out an aim to test all care
home residents and staff by 6 June:
Testing: the Government is providing widespread, swift
testing of all symptomatic care home residents, and all patients
discharged from hospital before going into care homes. It is
offering a COVID-19 test to every staff member and resident in
every care home in England, whether symptomatic or not; by 6
June, every care home for the over 65s will have been offered
testing for residents and staff.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/884171/FINAL_6.6637_CO_HMG_C19_Recovery_FINAL_110520_v2_WEB__1_.pdf
