Coronavirus: Confusion on care home outbreaks as Stormont changes recording criteria

The Department of Health (DoH) has revealed, following repeated inquiries by the News Letter this week, that it has changed the way it records care home outbreaks several months into the pandemic.

DoH says the change means that a single outbreak at the start of May could have been counted as two outbreaks by the end of the month, if it occurred across both nursing and care home sides of the same single facility.

DoH offered this as an explanation for the fact that the number of active care home outbreaks remained relatively stable throughout May despite millions of pounds being poured into the sector.

A total of 170 outbreaks have been recorded in NI care homes – 66 of which have been ‘closed’ by DoH.

However, the number of active outbreaks on May 7 were 75, ending the month at 71. The most recent figure is now down to 65, for June 5.

Asked why the number of live outbreaks did not significantly decrease in May, the DoH said: “During May, changes were made to the system of reporting data in line with the RQIA (Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority) reporting method. This means that where a home has both nursing and care home separate components and outbreaks in each, it is now counted as two outbreaks whereas previously it counted as one.

“Therefore, the figures reported are slightly higher than those previously reported.”

The RQIA affirmed that it does treat nursing and residential care homes, sometimes in the same facility, as “separate entities”.

Meanwhile, the trade union Unison has warned that new cash for care homes must benefit workers rather than “employers’ bank accounts”.

Regional secretary Patricia McKeown was speaking after Health Minister Robin Swann announced a fresh £11.7 million package for care homes.

The DoH said the latest injection of taxpayer money will “enable homes to pay staff 80% of their salary when on sick leave for Covid-19 related reasons”, as well as “support with cleaning costs and the provision of specialist equipment”.

Ms McKeown described the new money as a “step in the right direction” but said her union will seek “clarity” from the department on how it will be used.

“This is a step in the right direction for care home staff who have faced fundamentally unfair and unethical treatment whilst working in extremely difficult circumstances,” the union boss said.

“However, we are seeking clarity from the department and the health and social care trusts as to how they will ensure that this funding ends up in the pockets of our members, not in their employers’ bank accounts.

“The department must ensure that this funding genuinely benefits workers.”

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