The extent of the toll the coronavirus pandemic has taken on Herefordshire’s nursing and nursing homes has been revealed in newly released data from the Care Quality Commission.
Between April 2020 and March 2021, more than 100 coronavirus deaths were reported in the district’s nursing homes (if the coronavirus was mentioned on the death certificate).
The hardest hit homes, with 11 deaths, were West Bank and Charles Court, while 10 deaths were recorded in Hampton Grange and Stretton Nursing Home and nine in Holmer Court.
There were eight deaths at the Holmer Care Home, while Brockington House and The Weir suffered seven each.
Five deaths have been recorded at both Ross Court and Lynhales Hall, four at Leominster Care Home and Charnwood Country Residence, three each at Froome Bank, Gwen Walford House and The Garth, and two at Rosedale Retirement Home.
Field Farm House, Ledbury Nursing Home, Ledbury Intermediate Care, Orchard House, Oaklands Nursing Home and Brockhampton Court all recorded one death.
Of these, only one nursing home – The Garth – was listed as a “specific facility” where people with a positive Covid test were discharged from the hospital.
The numbers don’t include deaths in nursing homes with fewer than 10 residents as it could make them personally identifiable, the CQC said.
Paul Smith, Director of Adults and Community at Herefordshire Council, said: “Covid-19 has made a significant impact on many lives, especially those who live and work in nursing homes across the country. Our condolences go to all those families and friends who have lost loved ones.
“In the past 18 months, nursing homes have grappled with an unprecedented situation and done so with full commitment to support the most vulnerable in our communities. The Herefordshire Council has committed to buying PPE from the start of the pandemic to ensure there is continuous supply and availability for the care sector and advice and support on infection prevention that continues to this day.
“The vaccination program across the nursing home sector has been successful and has been widely embraced by residents and staff alike to keep each other safe. They have shown true resilience and strength, and the county is fortunate to have such a caring sector.”
Last April, a district nursing home director who did not want to be named told the Hereford Times his fears for residents after the government said it needed nursing homes to accommodate people discharged from hospital without a Covid test to get acute Acute illnesses to alleviate beds.
“It’s unbelievable what they want from us,” said the director at the time.
“They told us that if we don’t open our doors to the hospital, we won’t help.
“But without testing it, we just invite the virus into the nursing homes. And once it’s in, the death rate will skyrocket. ”
At the time, more than a dozen of the county’s 89 nurses refused to take part in discussions with the county council about the admission of untested people from hospitals.
Since then, strict measures have been in place in nursing homes, including restricted visitor numbers and visitor tests.
According to government guidelines, hospitals are now required to perform a Covid-19 PCR test on anyone discharged into a nursing home in the 48 hours prior to discharge.
Anyone who tests positive should first be released to a designated facility to review their isolation time, while those who test negative can be released to any nursing home where they should be isolated for 14 days as a precaution.