2020/10/23
"John’s Campaign - a voluntary, not-for-profit movement - speaks for people with dementia and their family carers. We are members of One Dementia Voice and work closely with other charities."
The "pre-action" letter was sent to Matt Hancock (Secretary of State for Health and Social Care) on 9th September - read the full details here.
There is no doubt that the policy to clear NHS beds of the elderly by sending them back to care homes in the early stages of the pandemic regardless of being possibly "Covid positive" cost lives, but what is less obvious is the number of lives lost through separation from famliy members and what amounts to imprisonment within care homes under Covid distancing rules - which may in some cases effectively amount to solitary confinement.
Since that time, Covid distancing has been imposed within care homes, but was there any attempt to run an assessment of the risks from Covid against the risks from solitary confinement?
This is but one aspect of the Covid response but it has been particularly damaging to care home residents, many of whom have not had anyone to fight their corner, and for whom no respite is yet on offer.
This is another case in need of support if it is to be successful.
