DOCUMENTS detailing the spread of coronavirus in borough care homes have been leaked to Wokingham.Today.
Last week, the borough council announced it would no longer accept patients discharged from hospital into care homes without guaranteed Covid-19 testing — a decision made to protect the most vulnerable.
But just how vulnerable care home residents have been was unknown. Until now.
Wokingham.Today had previously asked for the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases and deaths in homes across the borough. The leaked report states that: “Twelve [care homes] are a priority, so have Covid-19.”
But the total number of Covid-19 related deaths in borough care homes is not known. This is because testing is not happening in all cases, and a death is only attributed to coronavirus if those reporting the death believe it to be the cause or contributory factor.
In Austen House — a Lower Earley care home — there have been 21 deaths in the last month. But only five of these have been confirmed as a Covid-19 death.
The document leaked to Wokingham.Today said: “Austin House is still at the top of the list. 21 deaths, five confirmed as Covid-19 — most of the others must also be connected. 20 residents tested positive for Covid-19, however not known whether these included those who have sadly passed away.”
Clive Jones, Liberal Democrat councillor for Hawkedon, said he thinks as many as 17 deaths in the Kilnsea Drive home were due to the coronavirus.
“There’s usually only one or two deaths each month,” he said. “Many will have had other complications too.”
Cllr Jones added: “We’ve lost quite a few people before their time because we’ve allowed the virus to get into homes.”
The leaked document named Alexandra Grange, a residential home on Oaklands Drive, Wokingham as having the second-highest number of deaths in recent weeks.
It said: “Alexandra Grange is the next priority. Four Covid-19 deaths in a total of 12 deaths. Three definitely not Covid-19, others could be.”
Staff at both homes are now receiving support from the borough council.
The leader of the borough council, Cllr John Halsall told Wokingham.Today that the Government was right to include care home deaths in their statistics.
“Wokingham has a widely disproportionate number of care homes,” he explained. “And everyone wants accurate and reliable statistics. This does not currently, and has never existed.”
This — he said — is because there are not enough resources to accurately confirm every case of Covid-19 with a test or a post-mortem examination.
And this is why the number of Covid-19 related deaths in the UK will never be accurate.
But Cllr Lindsay Ferris, leader of the Wokingham Liberal Democrats has congratulated the borough council on the decision to stop hospital discharges into care homes.
“Only in this past week have [national] proposals to stop the discharge of such patients been put in place,” he said. “In fact Wokingham Borough Council preempted this Government action by introducing their own protocol with local hospitals including the Royal Berkshire Hospital.
“The council should be applauded for their action. I believe it may now form the basis for other councils across the country. “
