Coronavirus (COVID-19) Special Brief – 15 May 2020

Today the government announced a new care home support package, a link to the full guidance and key points are included below. While this is a very welcome, albeit belated, step, we have raised concerns that the government is not adequately recognising all forms of social care. Read our statement here.

Yesterday, the Care Quality Commission released figures to show that during the period 10 April – 8 May this year, the number of deaths reported across all settings where autistic people and/or people with a learning disability may live has increased by 175%. VODG issued a statement in response, which can be found here.

Later in the day, NHS England and NHS Improvement published the COVID-19 Daily Deaths report with a new table included that shows the COVID-19 deaths of people with learning disabilities and autistic people in hospitals in England. At a very high level, these figures show that in the six-week period from 24 March to 14 May 2020, 451 people recorded as having learning disabilities and/or autism died in hospitals in England with confirmed COVID-19 - more than 75 people per week.

VODG has been joining calls for government and its agencies to release data on the deaths of people with a learning disability and/or autism and we will continue to do so. It is only through the consistent routine reporting and publication of robust data that we can build the necessary intelligence to help inform current and future service responses.

As ever, should you have any feedback or views you wish to share on any of the topics mentioned above or included in this briefing, please do us email us at [email protected]

•  The government has announced a new care home support package. New measures include: - £600m Infection Control Fund to reduce transmission of coronavirus in care homes - This forms part of wider support for care home residents and staff, including by limiting staff movement, protecting wages and giving access to NHS PPE training - Each care home in England to be given a named clinical lead to provide direct care for residents - A wellbeing package will be also launched on CARE Workforce app to support the workforce with Hospice UK and Samaritans
• Two datasets have been released that highlight figures for COVID-19 deaths of people with learning disabilities and/or autism.
• The Department of Health and Social Care has issued a range of materials to provide more information on testing in care homes - please below in the Guidance section.
• The United Nations has published a policy briefing on the impact of COVID-19 on disabled people and outlines its recommendations for a more inclusive response and recovery.
• All feedback, please email [email protected]