Dear family and friends,
As week seven of the lock down approaches, I would like to share an update for our Homes within the Future Care Group.
We have received many requests from the press and media asking us for data on how the coronavirus is affecting our Care Homes and residents. We have made the decision not to respond to these contacts for information. At the Future Care Group our focus continues to be to our residents and staff during these unprecedented times.
Therefore, if you read that Care Homes are struggling to get the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for staff to be able to care for residents this does not include us. We have sufficient stocks and continue to order further supplies to keep our staff and residents safe.
It was reported yesterday that Health Secretary Matt Hancock said testing will be expanded to all care home residents and staff in England. This now includes those who do not have symptoms where previously it was only those with symptoms were tested.
The detail of this roll out of this testing has not yet been shared with us. Please be reassured that if your loved one does receive a positive test result we will advise you accordingly.
Please be assured that many of people who test positive will recover from their symptoms. We will continue to provide care for all our residents as they are part of our Future Care Group family.
The Health Secretary also announced that the government would be including the number of deaths in care homes and the community in its daily figures. This decision is in an effort to “bring as much transparency as possible” to the data.
In seeing this large increase in deaths reported may cause alarm to some of our relatives. However please be advised that until now, the figures have only included hospital deaths.
On the 28th April at 11:00 am our staff and residents stood in silence to remember key workers who have lost their lives to coronavirus. At the Future Care Group we believe it showed the deserved respect for care workers and our responsibility to keep our staff safe.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the support that you are giving to our staff at this challenging time. I believe that our staff are all very special people.
Please keep safe and take care of yourselves.
Kind regards,
Micky Shirley – Group Operations Director
