"Staff working in care homes and those providing care in people’s own homes have done an incredible job, in extremely challenging circumstances, to protect those they care for throughout this crisis."
Responding to the latest ONS figures on coronavirus deaths, which show that deaths involving COVID-19 as a percentage of all deaths in care homes decreased to 10.5 per cent in the week to 26 June, compared with 12.9 per cent in the previous week, Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said:
“Staff working in care homes and those providing care in people’s own homes have done an incredible job, in extremely challenging circumstances, to protect those they care for throughout this crisis. Social care services have been on the frontline from the start and have strived to do what they can, despite at times lacking enough PPE, and testing of residents and staff in care homes only now becoming more routine.
“While the number of deaths attributable to coronavirus in care homes continues to fall, it is still concerning that the number of people dying at home is higher than the five-year average. This could suggest that some are choosing not to go to hospital or receive help elsewhere.
“Every life lost to this disease is a tragedy and our thoughts go out to all those who have lost family members and friends during this difficult period. Councils continue to do all they can to support people receiving care, whether at home or in other care settings. The Government needs to ensure that councils and social care services have all the resources they need for the weeks and months ahead.
“The LGA is working closely with the new National COVID-19 Social Care Support Taskforce to tackle these issues and help guide social care through this current crisis and beyond.”