More residents test Covid-19 positive at Kettering care home

A Kettering care home which had a resident die from Covid-19 has suffered a further outbreak.

Barchester Healthcare, which runs the Elm Bank care home in Northampton Road, Kettering, has confirmed that more residents have tested positive for the virus, which so far has led to the deaths of at least 60 people living in Northamptonshire care homes.

Following the reporting of the death by the Local Democracy Reporting Service earlier this week the care home has been accused of keeping the death a secret and not telling staff.

A Rothwell woman, whose sister is a carer at the home, said she was livid that her sister only found out about the death through the media.

She said: “I called my sister and said have you heard that someone has died at the place where you work? She said no, and that she had not been told.

She lives with my parents, who are in their 70s, and my dad has diabetes and ill health. We are now worried about their health and my parents have tried to get a test – but can’t get home tests and were only offered tests at the drive through centres in Peterborough or Coventry.”

My sister has been offered a test now and accommodation, but it is like shutting the stable door once the horse has bolted. I don’t think the care home should have kept it a secret from staff, it is diabolical. They need to be telling staff and have a procedure to deal with things. I am very angered by this, as the company has not thought about the bigger picture.”

A spokesman for Barchester Healthcare said: “Our staff were informed as promptly as possible of the presence of COVID-19 in the home. Those on duty were given a letter, and all other staff and relatives of those in the home were also posted a letter and emailed the same day.

Following this first case our residents are being tested for COVID-19 and staff have also been offered this. We can confirm we have had additional positive tests but all of our staff are trained in infection control and have been brilliant in implementing this.

The home is in regular contact with Public Health England and the local authority. The safety and wellbeing of our residents and our staff is our utmost priority and we are closely following the official advice. We respect the privacy of our residents and staff in all matters and can therefore make no further comment at this stage.”

Like many parts of the country, Northamptonshire’s care homes have been affected by coronavirus outbreaks. More than a fifth of the 251 care homes across the county have so far recorded an outbreak – which is classed as more than one resident testing positive for the virus.

The areas most affected have been Northampton and East Northants

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