14 residents confirmed dead in nursing home

14 residents confirmed dead in nursing home

13 May 2020

AT least 14 residents have died at a Killyleagh nursing home after testing positive for the Covid-19 virus, it has been confirmed.

Ringdufferin Nursing Home further revealed 14 of its staff members were also found to have the virus.

The home, run by MCare NI, did not confirm when it became aware of the outbreak in its 64-bed facility, which was officially closed to visitors from March 24.

The home’s management said it offered its “deepest sympathy” to families and friends of those who had died.

It said the positive cases were confirmed over several weeks and that staff had followed the Covid-19 guidelines from the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust, the Public Health Agency, and the care home regulator - the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA).

A spokesperson said: “We regret that 39 of those placed in our care have proven positive when tested for the virus over a several week period. We offer our deepest sympathy to the family, relatives and friends of those 14 who have sadly died as a result of Covid-19.”

The home’s management did not confirm when the testing of all staff began but said “it did not become available until recent times” and in compliance with Department of Health guidelines advice, all staff had been offered testing.

The spokesperson went on: “In the period prior to this, however, staff members who had symptoms of Covid-19, were sent to be tested, and were off work isolating within government guidelines which have been stringently applied within the home. The number of those who have tested positive in recent weeks is 14.”

The spokesman referred to the difficulties the home has faced during the outbreak and the dedication of its staff to their patients.

He said that staff had put in place social distancing, additional cleaning and the use provision of personal protective equipment (PPE) “well ahead of any patients demonstrating symptoms of the virus”.

“Our staff are second to none and take pride in the care they provide to the residents within the home,” said the spokesperson.

“That care has been dramatically disrupted by the impact of the coronavirus Covid-19 over the last few weeks — a time which has been very difficult for our patients, their loved ones and for our staff.

“From outset we have had measures in place to protect our elderly residents and our carers from the pandemic virus.”

While it was stressed that all admissions into the home were before any suspected or confirmed cases of Covid-19 were identified, the spokesman said the home “followed the Trust guidelines and also followed the Public Health Agency and RQIA guidelines.  Any residents admitted to the home were isolated as per guidelines.”

However, he went on: “As global virology experts will attest, however, once a single case comes into any care environment this is very difficult to contain despite the best efforts of everyone.”

The spokesman said Ringdufferin “took a proactive approach several weeks ago, ahead of current arrangements being put in place, and invited the local Trust into the home to undertake testing when we became aware that some of our residents were presenting with common symptoms (temperature and/or new cough).”

The spokesman said the home promised to continue to provide the highest possible level of care and protection to all of its residents and all the carers and staff involved in its service.

He added: “Our deepest sympathies lie with the family of the friends we have lost and whom we had the privilege to care for.”

Ringdufferin, which specialises in providing residential care for the elderly, dementia patients or those requiring palliative care, is one of a number of care homes throughout Northern Ireland which have been affected badly by the virus.

Some 40% of coronavirus-related deaths in Northern Ireland have been linked to care homes.

South Down MLA Colin McGrath said that the loss of patients in the province’s care homes was “shocking” and “completely unacceptable”.

A member of the SDLP’s Health committee, Mr McGrath said that serious questions need to be asked if there was sufficient access to PPE for care home workers.

RQIA, the care home regulator, said it was working closely with every care home in Northern Ireland during the pandemic.

It said staff who are working under immense pressures to deliver compassionate care to everyone living in these homes in line with the latest guidance”.

A spokesperson remarked: “The safety and wellbeing of everyone in receipt of health and social care services across Northern Ireland is of paramount importance to RQIA. We continue to monitor and support all these services closely to ensure their management arrangements are robust and in the best interests of those who are receiving care.”