Coronavirus: More than 25,000 patients discharged to care homes in crucial 30 days before routine testing
The IndependentSign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy More than 25,000 patients were discharged to care homes by NHS hospitals in the pivotal 30 days before ministers introduced routine coronavirus testing. “This was done without any requirement to test those being discharged, when normal PPE supplies for care homes were being requisitioned for the NHS, and without even the semblance of a plan to protect social care.” She added: “The government must learn from its mistakes, treat the NHS and social care as equally important, and ensure that all care homes and home-care services get the priority, focus and resources they need.” On 17 March, the chief executive of NHS England, Simon Stevens, wrote to hospital chiefs, telling them to “urgently discharge” patients to help free up 15,000 beds for the expected first wave of hospital admissions. NHS Providers, which represents hospital trusts, rejected the suggestion that hospitals “knowingly” discharged Covid-19 patients to care homes but acknowledged testing was limited until 15 April. A spokesperson added: “This new data reinforces what hospitals have already made clear: clinicians have pulled out all the stops to do the right thing for their individual patients, and to get people the right care and support where and when they need it.” A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “This is an unprecedented global outbreak and we have taken the right decisions at the right time based on the latest scientific and medical advice.