The Boss of Care England Martin Green has told MP’s that the focus should have been on care homes from the start of the outbreak, but the focus on the NHS meant care homes had medical support withdrawn, as well as PPE disrupted.

Green was giving evidence to the House of Commons Health Committee and in a damning statement he said that Covid-symptomatic patients were discharged from hospital into care homes “despite what has been said” by ministers.

He added that  people were discharged from hospital without the testing regime up and running.There were cases of people without a Covid 19 status or who were symptomatic who were discharged to care homes. The focus should have been on where people with the most risk were.

He adds there is a “time delay” between Government announcements and delivery, and “we are not really clear when that is going to arrive”.

Testing he added, was:

“”not a one time occupation, we need regular testing – two or three times a week if possible to really get on top of this”.

Green also warned MP’s that staffing issues are likely to get worse as comprehensive testing improve

He also notes that there are lots of care homes “at the end of their shelf life”, which is exacerbating issues around capacity for isolation before reiterating his claim that the policy of “emptying hospitals and filling care homes” was at odds with other countries’ approach of isolating those care home residents who were symptomatic.

Also giving evidence to the Committee,Isabell Halletz says German care homes would not accept patients discharged from hospital unless they could quarantine them for two weeks.

She said they had a high risk, even if they did not show symptoms, and at that point tests were only given to those with symptoms. That was changed last week, she says.

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