Sheffield care home boss fears funding problems will hamper response to second spike of coronavirus

Nicola Richards, director of Palms Row Health Care in Sheffield, said 18 residents have died in outbreaks in two of her three homes and 60 residents have tested positive.

Ms Richards said 36 members of staff have also tested positive and 31 are self-isolating.

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Many others have been working 12-hours shifts for weeks, she added.

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Today, she said the situation has started to stabilise with only one additional case reported in the last seven days, which she puts down to ‘infection control measures as well as the fact that the virus hit our care homes earlier than many others’.

But Ms Richards said: “Given the threat of a second spike in cases later in the year, I share the increasing concerns of the care home sector that our mid to long-term funding is not secure and the authorities are not learning the lessons of the first wave.”

She said that, despite a slight improvement in financial support from Sheffield City Council, she fears the funding situation is not sustainable.

Ms Richards said: “Our local authority still hasn't passed on the recommended 15 per cent uplift in finances to care homes following emergency Government funding to help meet the costs of responding to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“All we have are assurances that additional costs will be met, but without guarantees we are working blind.

“For five weeks we have fought outbreaks in two of our homes, we have had to deliver care and support our teams in the safest way possible with no additional funding.

“The care sector was woefully underfunded in Sheffield before Covid-19 hit. This has put further pressure on a Cinderella sector.

She added: “I know that care home staff across the country are working tirelessly to care for some of the most vulnerable people in our society and they will be heartbroken by the deaths of each and every person who dies in their care.”