Coronavirus care home deaths fall for sixth week in a row

Care homes in England have reported a fall in deaths of its residents for the sixth consecutive week, reflecting a UK-wide continual drop in the care home death rate.

For the week ending 5 June, England’s care homes reported 626 COVID-19 deaths of residents to the Care Quality Commission (CQC), down from 773 deaths the week before (29 May).

This is a successive fall from a peak of 3,631 coronavirus deaths of care home residents reported for the week ending 24 April. The successive death rate fall in England reflects a drop in care home deaths across the UK. The successive death rate fall in England reflects a drop in care home deaths across the UK.

Wales death rate drop

Data recorded by Care Inspectorate Wales shows that there were 30 COVID-19 deaths reported in care homes in the week ending 5 June. This is down from 47 deaths the previous week (week ending 29 May).

According to data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), there have been 24 coronavirus care home deaths in Wales for the week ending 5 June, a fall in the death rate for the fifth week in a row.

Scotland's fatality fall

National Records of Scotland, which publishes weekly figures every Wednesday, reports the number of care home COVID-19 deaths fell for a fifth consecutive week to 68 deaths for the week ending 31 May.

This is a decrease when compared to 124 deaths reported the week before (week ending 24 May).

Separate data from Scotland’s Care Inspectorate has reported 76 deaths involving COVID-19 in care homes for the week ending 31 May.

Northern Ireland's death decline

In Northern Ireland’s care homes the COVID-19 death rate has fallen for the fourth week in a row, with nine deaths reported for the week ending 29 May, according to the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra).

The nine deaths reported is a decrease when compared to 13 deaths the previous week (week ending 22 May).

The death rate has fallen from a peak of 72 COVID-19 deaths in Northern Ireland's care homes for the week ending 1 May.

'Welcome' news but must avoid second spike

Care providers are warning the UK-wide decline in care home deaths is no excuse for complacency. The Independent Care Group (ICG) says it is vital the country keeps up the pressure on the virus.

ICG chair Mike Padgham said: “Today’s figures are again welcome in that the total is falling. But overall, the number of people who have died from Covid-19 in care and nursing homes in England is approaching 13,000. We must not become complacent – this thing isn’t beaten yet.

“We have all worked so extremely hard to get Covid-19 under control, it would be a tragedy if we took our foot off the gas now and let a second spike happen.”

Government's new social care taskforce

The government has announced a national Social Care Sector COVID-19 Support Taskforce.

It includes representatives from the LGA, Public Health England, the Care Quality Commission, the Care Providers Alliance, the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS), Healthwatch England, the Cabinet Office and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

The taskforce is chaired by David Pearson, former President of the ADASS, a charity representing directors of adult social services in England.

The DHSC has said Mr Pearson will oversee delivery of infection control measures, backed by £600m from the government and deliver testing programmes and 'effective deployment' of the workforce.

David Pearson said: “The social care sector is on the frontline of our coronavirus response. This taskforce will support the service by overseeing the delivery of the Social Care Action Plan and the Care Homes Intensive Support Package.

“This will play an important part in ensuring we are doing everything we can to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 in the sector."

The ICG has welcomed the announcement of a social care taskforce. Mr Padgham said: “An expert-led taskforce is something we have called for for many years, as a way to take social care forward.

“We are delighted to see this new task force announced and hope it works swiftly to not only help everyone who is looked after by social care through coronavirus, but also to look at the whole future of social care and guide it into a more sustainable future, with better funding and parity with the NHS.”

Cllr Ian Hudspeth, chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said in response to David Pearson's appointment: “David brings invaluable experience of working in adult social care and public health at what is a crucial time for social care services, which have been under severe pressure both during and prior to the pandemic.

“As a friend of local government, he has worked closely with the LGA and we look forward to strengthening this relationship as we help guide social care through this current crisis and beyond."