People in care homes 'badly let down' by 'catastrophic failings' during coronavirus pandemic
Video report by Health Correspondent James Crichton-Smith
People in care homes have been "badly let down" by the Welsh Government throughout the pandemic, according to a report from the Senedd's Health Committee.
The report identified the government's approach to testing in care homes as "flawed" and said the response to deaths in that setting was "too slow".
In the wake of the report, Care Forum Wales said it is the "catastrophic failings" of Welsh Government that have caused a "grim and unnecessary" death toll from Covid-19 in care homes.
Criticism has previously been levelled at how the pandemic has been dealt with in Welsh care homes. In late May, an owner of a care home where 19 residents have died called for an inquiry into how Welsh Government have handled care homes during the pandemic.
Other "serious weaknesses... in many areas", like provision of PPE, testing in general and critical care capacity, were also found by the report.
The Committee have set out a range of recommendations, including regular testing in care homes, that will now be considered by the Welsh Government.
As of 3 July, there were 826 coronavirus-related deaths in care homes in Wales, according to data from the Office of National Statistics.
The Committee want the Welsh Government to make drastic improvements when it comes to testing, especially when it comes to care homes.
It wasn't until 2 May that the Welsh Government said it would be routinely testing residents and staff in care homes with outbreaks of coronavirus.
They are recommending that testing in care homes should take place "on a regular and systematic basis". They also said tests should be carried out by people trained to do so, instead of using home testing kits.
In general, the Committee were unimpressed by testing turnaround times and said "there has been a complete lack of clarity about the testing programme in Wales."
The Welsh Government said it did not accept the Committee's findings that care home residents have been let down.
In a statement it said, "Our approach has been routed in scientific evidence with the sole objective of saving lives, regardless of where people live. The Senedd’s health committee has focused on testing, which is just one part of our response. We have provided a wide range of support, including extra nursing staff where necessary and free PPE for care homes across Wales.
“Everyone working in social care has worked tirelessly to protect some of the most vulnerable people in Wales. We will continue to work with the sector to identify and provide any additional support it needs to respond to the virus.”
The Committee now wants to see all results being given with 24 hours of a test being carried out. Previous figures suggested only around half of results were received within that time frame.
Karen Healey, who is the general manager of a care home in Rogerstone where 15 residents died in the space of a month, described the Welsh Government as ''shameful.''
''The care sector wasn't prioritised,' she said.
''The herding of people out of the NHS into the care sector without testing was clearly the highest risk and resulted in multiple deaths across the whole of Wales.
''We want recognition of the mistakes that were made and we want a national plan of how we're going to take care forward.''
Mario Kreft MBE, the chair of Care Forum Wales, said: "This report is essentially confirming what we knew already and what Care Forum Wales has been saying for months that essentially care homes, their residents and staff inadvertently became collateral damage in a drive to protect the NHS from being overrun."
Care Forum Wales called for an early lockdown of care homes in February. They said workers in the care sector are experiencing a testing regime that is "patchy at best and utterly shambolic at worst."
Mr Kreft said Wales needs a national plan of action to "put social care on a par with the NHS."
The Committee said the issue of adequate supplies of appropriate PPE was now "stable but fragile."
They also found that the system linking those shielding to services like food deliveries had not been effective.
The Chair of the Health Committee, Dr Dai Lloyd MS, said: "We must be better prepared, on all fronts, for the challenges ahead, especially during the coming winter period. A second wave does not have to be inevitable if lessons are learned from the past four months.
"Local authorities have moved mountains to protect and support the most vulnerable. Within our communities, huge number of volunteers have mobilised, doing everything from distributing food and medicines to making scrubs, gowns and masks. The public has also played its part, sacrificing contact with family and friends in the interests of the greater good.
"Today we are outlining clear recommendations for the Welsh Government to learn from mistakes and move forward so that never again do we have to face the horrors of the last four months."
Responding to the report, Darren Hughes, Director of the Welsh NHS Confederation said: "It will be vital for everyone across the Government and the NHS to learn lessons from the Coronavirus pandemic.
"As we have learnt more about the virus, how it spreads within the community and the people who are affected most by the disease, we have made steps to adapt our response and have worked closely with partners from across all sectors.
"We must also acknowledge that staff from across the health and care sector have responded brilliantly to the challenges they have faced, and continue to face, since the beginning of the pandemic."
The Welsh Government has been asked for a response.
Analysis from ITV Cymru Wales' Health Correspondent, James Crichton-Smith
The Health Committee's report into the Welsh Government's handling of Covid-19 is critical - but not surprising.
Among the strongest criticism centres around care homes - places looking after some of the most vulnerable in our society but which "have been badly let down during this crisis," it says.
That this assessment has been published, is in many ways further confirmation of what we have been hearing for months.
Whether it's the care home boss wanting an inquiry after losing 12 residents in a week, or the story of a distraught care home owner who lost 60% of her residents to Covid-19 or another independent report saying that the Welsh Government's policy to discharge patients from hospital into care homes without testing or without receiving their results led to an epidemic and loss of life - the warnings have been there.
And so today's report can be added to that list.
No doubt the Welsh Government will want to learn lessons after what Care Forum Wales describes as "catastrophic failings" but learning lessons will not alter the experiences of those who've already suffered at the hands of Covid-19 in care homes.
Other recommendations from the report:
The Committee is calling on the Welsh Government and its partners to ensure that there is local access to testing for anyone who needs it, as and when they need it. GPs and primary care need to be an integral part of these arrangements.
The Committee is calling on the Welsh Government to ensure there is a system of clear and repeated public messaging – at a national and local level - about individual responsibilities to self-isolate on symptoms, and the importance of urgent self-referral for testing.
The Committee is calling on the Welsh Government to re-examine the arrangements with major supermarkets to ensure it can satisfy itself that there will be sufficient capacity for online food shopping and home delivery to meet demand, particularly during the coming winter period
The Committee is calling on the Welsh Government, as a matter of urgency:
to publish a strategy for securing a resilient supply of PPE;
to stockpile appropriate PPE in sufficient quantities for any future outbreak;
to keep under review the PPE it has stockpiled to ensure that it remains of adequate quality and is fit for purpose, including the design and fit is appropriate for all wearers and suitable for staff, patients or carers who are deaf or hearing impaired;
publish a strategy for ensuring resilience of distribution arrangements for PPE;
work with partners to ensure that guidance on PPE is kept up to date in the light of the most recent scientific advice, and communicate this advice clearly to staff.