Efforts to free hospital beds brought patients into care homes while early guidance in England, Wales and Northern Ireland omitted isolation advice, exposing residents and workers to greater risk, the UK Covid-19 Inquiry found.
The finding concerns initial guidance in those three nations. Scotland acted earlier, the inquiry said. Its report described the omission as a serious gap that created conditions for infections to spread, without assigning a number of cases to it.
The inquiry’s Oct. 20 report examines adult social care across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It says more than 43,000 deaths involving COVID-19 were recorded in UK care homes from March 2020 through July 2022. That figure is not a count of deaths caused by hospital transfers.
The drive to make space in hospitals placed risks on care home residents and workers. The inquiry found that the sector faced the pandemic with too few staff, financial pressure and inadequate preparation. It also identified shortcomings in testing and protective equipment.
Limits on visits harmed residents and their families, the report found. Inquiry Chair Heather Hallett found that the response was slow to protect both residents and care staff. The inquiry also rejected former Health Secretary Matt Hancock’s claim that the government had placed a “protective ring” around care homes.
Its recommendations include planning for isolation in care homes, support for workers required to isolate and clearer guidance on visits during a future pandemic. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the government would consider the findings as it develops an adult social care pandemic action plan.
The inquiry requires a response to its recommendations within six months of the Oct. 20 report, the Welsh government said.
