Covid-19 experiences and learning in Coventry Care homes
Download (PDF 357.4 KB)Summary of report content
Healthwatch Coventry undertook telephone interviews with 25 out of 35 local residential care homes in Coventry about the impact of the Covid-19 situation, support and things that were learnt.
Care homes had almost all changed the way they delivered care during the pandemic. Almost all reported a marked impact on staff and residents.
Most managers had put in place alternatives to normal visits by loved ones and the care homes were evolving these when we spoke to them as the guidance had been changed.
The interviews covered how care homes had been supported by other organisations: both NHS organisations/services and the local council. The responses showed that a lot of local support had been provided and that care home managers welcomed this and found the input of other agencies helpful. There was specific praise for individuals from the Council and Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) who had provided link roles and support.
Almost all managers commented the district nurses employed by Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust had maintained face to face care to support residents. Whilst there were no direct questions about GPs, there was some feedback on this topic – about the effectiveness of remote consultations.
The care homes were asked about support from the hospital, hospital discharge and the assessment of residents ongoing care needs. There had been mixed experiences of communication from and with the hospital related to the discharge of patients to care homes, and the speed at which residents were discharged.
Most care homes felt that the virtual assessment of care needs by the local council social care department worked ‘ok’, four indicated it was working well and three highlighted concerns.
The research highlighted areas which worked well, including staff commitment and team working; good communication across organisations and knowing the Covid-19 status of new residents. It also identified areas that didn’t work so well, including concerns about accessing testing for residents and staff in care homes and the hospital discharge process.