Residents still catching Covid and dying in Northamptonshire’s care homes

A year into the pandemic, recent CQC inspections are still finding that some Northants care homes are not following infection control measures

By Sarah Ward

A recent inspection at this Corby care home found poor record keeping on infection control.

There are two dozen active Covid outbreaks in Northamptonshire care homes or services according to latest data from the county’s public health team.

236 people linked to services from the county’s care homes or services (either residents or staff) have the virus. The outbreaks are spread across the county, with Northampton having slightly more cases (five) than other areas and Corby having the least.

But rather than outbreaks becoming fewer as Covid cases drop (Northamptonshire Covid cases fell in the week to February 28 to 749 compared to 1273 in the previous week) the outbreaks in care services actually went up from 17 affected homes to 24. And the deaths are still happening. Since the start of the year (to Feb 26) 84 people living in Northamptonshire care homes have died from Covid. Altogether since the start of the pandemic more than 300 county care home residents have died from t…