Case Studies

Care Home managers are contacting CCFTV to tell us of the challenges they face with Covid testing in care homes. Many say most councils are placing the burden of screening onto providers directly. Below is a typical of what is involved. This is an email sent to us from one manager.

''To say I have had the year from hell but this visiting process could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. We are effectively a covid testing centre and test and trace rolled into one. In preparation for the Lateral flow testing, we have had 60 mins webinar training for an SAT that takes about twenty minutes. I have to have identified an area for testing that is away from staff and resident areas. Visitors must arrive forty-five minutes before the allocated visiting time to the testing area then we do the following process;

Complete a consent form. Then the visitor swabs his throat and nose. We then receive the swab place it in the test tube add the solution and mix it.

On the back of the test tray, we add the bar code for registering the test. The visitor is supposed to register this bar code with test trace and the result of the test via scanning the code to their phone ( this will be a challenge). If they are unable to do this we have to do it for them, however, we must again get written consent. Since the swab and solution are mixed, we then put drops of the fluid onto the test tray. It is absorbed by the paper on the back of the bar code. We then wait thirty minutes to read the test. When the process is completed we have to clean the area down ready for the next visitor.

If positive, they have to have to do a further swab which they are to log with test and trace, however, if they cannot do this we have to do it and once again get consent for use of the personal data. We then log in and arrange a special courier collection for the test. We provide a face mask and gloves for the person to return home. We then advise on isolation and the home bubble and family isolation.

If inconclusive;

We can do another test but they have to wait 30 mins and by that time the next visitor will have arrived, so there is every probability that the visit will not happen due to time constraints.

If Negative;

Then the visit will go ahead. The visitor must wear gloves, an apron and a mask and be escorted to the visiting area which will be the person bedroom. When over they are escorted from the building and PPE disposed of rightly. The room then has to be cleaned thoroughly. That’s ONE visit completed!

The Council is sending letters to relatives saying that the resident can have two constant visitors per week. I have sixty-five residents so two visitors would be one hundred and thirty tests. I currently have no idea how I would fit that in when it takes forty-five minutes per test. Even one test per person is a logistic nightmare. On top of this, we test the staff every week. On average seventy-nine and it takes a day and a half to do this with another day spent receiving the results and logging them in. The only staff able to do this testing are the admin and receptionist, deputy and myself. I cannot spare any other staff to do it as they are busy providing resident care and coping with the added pressures of communicating via WhatsApp, Facetime, Facebook Portal and telephone.

'' Families understandably want to visit before Christmas albeit we cannot start until the 14th December as per the Councils directive.'' Care Home Manager

This is why so many providers are either finding it difficult to cope, flouting the rules of the variation or not facilitating visits at all.''

Care Campaign for the Vulnerable would like to hear your views if you are a care manager. You can submit your comments anonymously at ccftv.cares@gmail.com