Agenda item

To receive an overview of the progress of Covid-19 and its significant impacts upon the care home sector in Hampshire during the period March 2020 to 12 June 2020.

The Director of Adults’ Health and Care provided an update on the Care Home Support Offer and echoed the Chairman’s sentiments in celebrating the NHS and highlighted that it is an anniversary of the foundations of social care as well.  

Members heard there has been an impact across all communities and staff in social care.  While there has been immense humanity, dedication, and skill evident in the sector, it is important to highlight that it is still in response mode and the pandemic is still very much active in communities.  

Across the 500 care homes in Hampshire, 449 deaths have been noted positive for Covid-19.  There are annual, seasonal, and monthly variations in the data and there has been a review of excess deaths in care homes.  While Covid-19 positive many be noted on the death certificate, it may not be the primary cause of death.  National testing reports from acute hospitals did not start taking place until mid-April and there may have been a larger Covid factor that was not captured at the national level until mid-July.  There is uncertainty for providers and an impact on financial sustainability, that has led to supporting the wider care sector. 

Cllr Hiscock left at this time.  

Care homes received emergency PPE until regularized supply was put into place and it was difficult to know with initial guidance, which PPE was for where and when.  There is a need for ongoing testing, with updates and reports from sector providers.  Staffing suffered from absences which was a key factor as the needs remained the same, with an increase in the overall costs to care homes.  There are a significant number of empty beds at the moment and with an impact in their income and bottom line, despite the hard work.

Announcements have been made by government regarding the national fund to support infection prevention and control in the care home sector.  Area CCGs, the CQC, and Healthwatch sit on the Board, among others, meeting weekly to provide support.  The goal has been to get this funding out to providers as soon as possible and slightly in advance of work that had to be done.  Positively, all audits that have been undertaken, reflected that they had complied with the grant conditions and within permissible spends e.g. it was not for void beds or PPE.  Every care home provider has received this support based on the number of beds.  Work is being undertaken to learn lessons at pace but in a way that is sensitive to the needs of individuals and families, to better understand the transmission and learn those lessons rapidly.  

In response to questions, Members heard:

Additional resources have been allotted for surcharges being applied for services. 

Testing prior to discharge has been ongoing but data can only be reported from 15th  April onwards.  In terms of preparing for the anticipated surge at acute hospitals, some 25,000 patients were discharged rapidly from acute hospital settings from March to create capacity into many settings.  Agency staff appear across all health and social care sectors so cannot be the only vector.  Further work remains and reviews are being commissioned for greater insight, in rapid time to better understand the factors in transmissions and outbreaks but there are real complexities to consider. 

Care homes did lock down quickly and there was a phenomenal effort with many approaches and the staff quarantined for weeks if not months in order to provide care.  Inevitably, staff moved within care providers but within same group of homes.  Active work has continued with providers to ensure those coming in from hospital settings were isolated or quarantined before returning to the care home setting.  

A lot of work is being undertaken from a national perspective to support care homes for learning and early insights.  Collectively across the wider sector there is a need to delve deeply to understanding the recent impact.  There will be inquiring and learning reviews for the County Council but also other partners to understand what has happened across Hampshire.  The link to the Care Home Support Plan has been included and further updates will follow.

Members thanked those involved for their Herculean efforts and tireless work.  

The Executive Members for Adult Social Care and Health and Public Health thanked and praised the departments’ leadership, care homes, NHS, and county council for their tremendous work in uncharted waters during a trying and very difficult time. 

RESOLVED -   

That the Health and Adult Social Care Select Committee:  

a.    Was assured by the work underway to support the care home sector through the development of a care home plan and notes the contents of this report.

b.    Recognised the impacts upon the care home and wider social care sector and thank all those staff working across the sector for the humanity, compassion and care shown throughout their responses to Covid-19.

c.    Receives further updates at future meetings on continuing work to support the care sector.

d.    Requested further updates at successive HASC meetings while the pandemic is in progress, including regarding the Care Home Support Plan.