THREE residents at a care home in Witney have died after testing positive for coronavirus.

One of the residents passed away after being transferred to hospital, whilst the other two died at the home.

A concerned member of the public contacted the Witney Gazette last week to say that they ‘feared for the well being of residents’ at Millers Grange.

The source, who did not wish to be named, said that the care home, run by Care UK, was taking a ‘minimal stance’ to coronavirus.

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They added they believed that residents had died at the home in the past week, ‘likely due to a lack of PPE’.

“I don’t see them wearing any when leaving, walking past windows or entering,” they said.

Daniel Turner-Naylor, regional care director for Care UK, however said that staff at the home have had ‘full access to PPE and have been using it meticulously as directed’.

Meanwhile, the tip-off claimed that new residents have been introduced during the crisis, and this was ‘likely bringing in Covid-19’.

Oxford Mail:

A spokesperson for Care UK said the care provider ‘strongly disagrees with any suggestion that we are taking anything other than the utmost care in regards to coronavirus’.

Mr Turner-Naylor added: “We are deeply saddened by these deaths and send our deepest condolences to the friends and family of these residents.

“Since the first cases of coronavirus in this country, our teams have been carefully following an outbreak plan which is based directly on guidance from Public Health England and the NHS.

“I can’t thank the team enough for their dedication to following this plan and for continuing to deliver highly professional and compassionate care in this incredibly challenging time.”

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The problem surrounding coronavirus in care homes has become a hot topic nationally, after the spotlight was shed on a care home in County Durham, where 13 residents have so far died after displaying symptoms of coronavirus.

Stanley Park in Stanley is also operated by Care UK.

On Monday, Chris Whitty, the UK government’s chief medical adviser, told the daily media briefing that 92 care homes had suffered an outbreak of Covid-19 in the previous 24 hours alone.

He said on Monday: “If an outbreak is suspected public health authorities will go in to do testing to check if an outbreak has taken place.”

Oxford Mail:

He added that due to the large numbers of vulnerable people in care homes, he would like there to be more extensive testing done.

The government’s statistics currently only account for those who died in hospital, and neglect deaths in care homes, meaning the numbers for care home deaths are open to speculation.

A report by academics at the London School of Economics using early figures from Belgium, France, Ireland, Italy and Spain suggests care home deaths may account for about half of the total death toll.

Two leading providers of care homes in the UK have reported the deaths of 521 residents from coronavirus.

HC One revealed 311 deaths, whilst MHA reported 210.

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Labour MP for Leicester West, Liz Kendall, shadow minister for social care, has been vocal about the government publishing daily figures for deaths in care homes.

She said: “The government should publish daily figures of deaths outside hospital, including in care homes.

“We need the full facts to fully deal with coronavirus.

“Too many residential care and home care workers still aren’t getting PPE they need, despite the Prime Minister’s promise they would by end of March.”