Boris Johnson gives £600m for care home infection control after challenge over deaths

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pledged an extra £600m for infection control in care homes to fight COVID-19 but failed to say why there has been an extra 10,000 unexplained care home deaths in April.

During Prime Minister's Question time (PMQs), Boris Johnson announced additional cash for care homes, after being challenged by Labour leader Keir Starmer that the government had been “too slow to protect people in care homes”.

Defending the government's response, Boris Johnson said: “A huge exercise in testing is going on. A further £600m I can announce today for infection control in care homes.

“The number of outbreaks is down and the number of fatalities in care homes is now well down. We are making progress”.

10,000 extra unexplained care home deaths

Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) quoted by Keir Starmer reveal that for the last five years, the average number of care home deaths in April has been over 8,000, however this year the death figure for April was “a staggering 26,000”.

That’s three times the average for April and means there were 18,000 extra deaths that month.

Mr Starmer told the PM “Only 8,000 are recorded as COVID-19 deaths, that leaves 10,000 additional and unexplained care home deaths this April.

“I know the government must have looked into this. Can the Prime Minister give us the government’s views on these unexplained deaths?”

Boris Johnson failed to give a reason for the unexplained deaths but said: “There has been a terrible epidemic in care homes but since the care homes’ action plan began we are seeing an appreciable and substantial reduction not just in the number of outbreaks but also in the number of deaths.”

A survey of 105 care homes published by the Alzheimer's Society today revealed a quarter of care homes struggled to get residents seriously ill with the virus admitted to hospital and three quarters polled said GPs did not want to visit.

Guidance said 'very unlikely' care home residents would be infected

During PMQs, social care took centre stage as Keir Starmer challenged the government on its own guidance for care homes up to 12 March, which stated it was “very unlikely” care home residents would be infected by COVID-19.

Mr Starmer said: “Until 12 March, the government’s own official advice was...and I’m quoting from it: 'It remains very unlikely that people receiving care in a care home will become infected'. In response, the Prime Minister said: “No Mr Speaker, it wasn’t true that the advice said that. “Actually we brought the lockdown in care homes ahead of the general lockdown.”

Since the PM’s comments, Keir Starmar has written to Boris Johnson about inaccurate comments he made during #PMQs on government guidance for care homes.

His letter stated: 'At this time of national crisis, it is more important than ever that Government ministers are accurate in the information they give.

‘Given this I expect you to come to the House of Commons at the earliest opportunity to correct the record and to recognise that this was official government guidance regarding care homes’.

During PMQs, Keir Starmer read to Mr Johnson a quote from a cardiologist who is reported to have said: “We discharged known, suspected and unknown cases into care homes which were unprepared with no formal warning that patients were infected, no testing available and no PPE to prevent transmission.

"We actively seeded this into the very population that was most vulnerable.”

£600m ‘will not be enough’

The 600m funding can used to meet the additional costs of PPE and of restricting staff to work in one care home only and pay the wages of those self-isolating. Care homes will be asked to restrict permanent and agency staff to working in only one care home wherever possible.

A wellbeing package for social care staff is being offered on the new CARE app including two new helplines, led by the Samaritans and Hospice UK to support care staff with their mental health and wellbeing.

Care providers have welcomed the promise of extra money to help them tackle coronavirus but have warned the extra cash probably isn't enough.

Mike Padgham, chair of the Independent Care Group (ICG) which represents care homes, said: "Whilst we welcome this promised money we have to take on trust that this is new money and not part of the £3.2bn already given to local authorities to help against coronavirus.

"Our main fear is that this will not be enough. The £3.2bn already pledged has been slow and patchy in reaching the front line to support care providers who are struggling. Local authorities say they need much more funding to cope.

"Providers are seeing falling incomes and rapidly rising costs due to COVID-19 and they need urgent help on the front line now. A survey this morning revealed that three out of four care providers are struggling financially. That is where we have to get the money to now."