Care home death rate falls but most COVID-19 fatalities are in England's care homes

The number of COVID-19 deaths in care homes has fallen for the second week in a row but the majority of England's coronavirus deaths are happening in its care homes - where 8,314 are reported to have died of the virus in the period up to 8 May.

Care homes have notified the Care Quality Commission that 8,314 people have died (in the period up to 8 May since 10 April), when the care regulator first began collating death figures for publication by the Office of National Statistics (ONS).

A total of 1,556 people have died of COVID-19 in England’s care homes in the week ending 8 May - a fall from the 2,200 deaths reported the week before (week ending 1 May) and 2,479 deaths the week before that (w/e 24 April).

Social care currently looks after 400,000 people in care and nursing homes - that is three times the number in NHS hospital beds. Social care supports 640,000 people in their own homes.

With over 8,000 people dead in England’s care homes, Martin Green, chief executive of Care England, which represents care providers, has been shocked by reports that some hospitals and councils had put pressure on care homes to accept COVID-19 positive and untested patients.

Martin Green has said nobody should have left hospital and entered a care home without COVID-19 testing.

He believes care homes should have been asked if they could safely take patients and “barrier” people.

“In the rush to get hospital capacity up” at the start of the pandemic, people in care homes were not shielded, he said.

“The care sector should have had equal priority with the NHS at the start of this pandemic”.

Welsh care homes

In Wales, the number of care home deaths due to coronavirus has also fallen, ONS figures reveal.

Some 55 COVID-19 deaths were registered in Welsh care homes in the week ending May 1. There have been a total of 404 coronavirus deaths in care homes in Wales.

Scotland’s care homes

In Scotland, 310 people have died in care homes in the week ending 3 May, This is a fall in the number of COVID-19 care home deaths, when compared to the 339 deaths registered on death certificates the week before (week ending 26 April).

Most of Scotland’s coronavirus deaths (59 per cent in the week up to 3 May) are now happening in its care homes.

Northern Ireland's care homes

In Northern Ireland, 232 people have died of the virus in care homes, according to the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency.

Care homes fear second death spike if lockdown lifted

Despite a drop in the care home COVID-19 death rate, care providers fear a spike in the number of deaths in care homes, if lockdown restrictions are lifted too quickly.

The Independent Care Group (ICG) said while some restrictions were being eased elsewhere, the battle against COVID-19 in homes was “still raging”.

ICG chair, Mike Padgham said: "Whilst today's figures do demonstrate a downward trend, care providers are very conscious that death and sickness from coronavirus is still very real and frightening within care and nursing homes and that we must not ease up.

"Homes have to maintain lockdown restrictions, even though it might be frustrating for relatives and friends, because we are not through this yet, not by a long way.

"It is good news that death rates appear to be falling and that the Government is starting to ease lockdown measures. But as far as the situation in care and nursing homes is concerned, we have to stay as we are; otherwise we will get more and more deaths.”

Social care market analysts Carterwood has warned that COVID-19 could increase care home deaths in the over-65s in England by as many as 36,000 in the coming year, based on its research.

Mr Padgham added: "What we also need now is some expert guidance from the Government on how we move forward, particularly over lifting restrictions on people visiting their loved ones. We have to be extremely cautious but our residents cannot remain in lockdown for ever."

'Tragically high number of care home deaths’

In response to the ONS figures, Fiona Carragher, director of Research and Influencing at Alzheimer’s Society said: “We need to know why the death toll in care homes remains so high in addition to coronavirus-reported deaths. We now approach our third month of lockdown, still with a tragically high number of care home deaths.

“70% of care home residents have dementia and we’re deeply concerned that this indicates an increase in deaths due to dementia, caused by isolation and reduction in care workers. We need a plan to put in place safe social contact for people with dementia, so that their wellbeing and health is not irreversibly damaged by this pandemic."

Care workers twice as likely to die than NHS workers

On Monday, 11 May, the ONS revealed care workers were twice as likely to die of COVID-19 than NHS workers and the general population.

A total of 131 social care workers (86 women and 45 men) working in social care (including care homes and in home care) died from COVID-19 up to 20 April.

NHS workers, including doctors and nurses, do not have a higher rate of death due to COVID-19 when compared to the general population, unlike social care workers who have a greater chance of dying.

Mr Padgham said: "The age profile for those working in care is higher so that might play a part. But the quality of the protective equipment we had in the early stages and the difficulties in sourcing that PPE, may also have played a part too.

“It is clear that workers in social care were not as well protected in the early days as those in NHS healthcare."

Many care homes and home care providers have said they have experienced a lack of PPE and testing.

The social care sector wants the government to provide financial support for care providers amidst concerns the £3.2bn pledged for local authorities to help the social care sector tackle the virus, is not reaching care homes and home care services.

Care minister 'relief' to see deaths falling

In response to the figures, Care minister Helen Whately said: "I’d like to personally thank the care workers who are looking after our loved ones for their compassion and commitment.

“We continue to work night and day to give social care providers the best possible support and ensure they have the protection they need as quickly as possible, we’ve already made millions of items of PPE available across the social care system.

"Now we also have the capacity to deliver up to 30,000 tests a day to residents and staff in care homes for older people.

“It is a relief to see the number of deaths in care homes falling, but they sadly they continue to make up a significant proportion of coronavirus related deaths and our work is not done.

"Supporting the social care sector through this pandemic has always been a priority, and we are doing everything in our power to ensure they have all they need to look after those in their care.’’