Almost HALF of Covid-19 deaths in Hertfordshire are care home residents

The majority of all Covid-19-related deaths in Hertfordshire have been residents in care homes, it has emerged.

New data from the county council suggests that 172 care home residents have died from presumed or confirmed Covid-19 – either in hospital or at home.

And that means care home residents will account for the majority of the 254 Covid-19 hospital deaths that have been recorded in Hertfordshire.

A lack of Covid-19 testing outside hospitals means there is no accurate measure of the number of care home residents in the county who could be infected with the virus.

But the county council data – which runs from March 20 to April 17 – is the strongest indication yet of the prevalence of the virus in the county’s care home sector.

County council executive member for adult care services Cllr Richard Roberts, who represents Kings Langley, says he is “very worried” by the levels of the virus in the county’s care homes, which are predominantly run by the private sector.

He points to the dedication of ‘highly skilled and competent’ care home staff, who he says have really “stepped up to the plate”.

But he says there needs to be a conversation – involving care homes, the county council and the NHS – about how care home residents can best be protected, in the longer term.

“It’s a sad fact that our care home residents are the most vulnerable – because of their age and some of the physical complexities of their health,” he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

“My heart-felt sympathies go to all families who are losing loved ones in care homes and who can’t be with them.”

Cllr Roberts stresses staff caring for Hertforshire’s 8000 care home residents are giving the “best possible care” – even helping families to communicate with residents by video link.

But with no vaccine or treatment for the virus imminent, CllrCllr Roberts says there now needs to be a ‘conversation’ about the best care and prevention for the future.

“The coronavirus isn’t going away any time soon, because there is no vaccine and no treatment,” he said.

“We have to explore every possible way to protect residents and staff.

“How do we protect our residents who haven’t got coronavirus? And how do we best look after those that do?”

In a bid to protect residents and staff, the county council has already worked with care homes to find ways to separate residents with Covid-19, where possible in different wings or floors.

And they have taken steps to ensure staff have access to ‘personal protection equipment’, including masks, gowns and gloves.

“PPE is, in a sense, part of the contract we have with care staff,” said Cllr Roberts.

“We will do everything to look after them, because they are doing everything to look after our residents.”

Meanwhile Cllr Roberts also points to the steps the county council took in advance of the outbreak to support the NHS.

He says the council ensured there were an additional 600 care home places available in the community – including the re-opening of two care homes that had previously closed, with plans for two more.

And, he says, county council discharge teams have been working with hospitals to make sure there is capacity for Covid-19 patients.

Since the start of the outbreak the county council has helped with the recruitment of an additional 150 carers – to cover for staff absence.

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