Covid-19: Hospital Patient Referrals

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath Excerpts

Monday 28th June 2021 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Penn (Con)]

My Lords, in our response to the pandemic, we have introduced a policy of designated settings, where if someone in hospital who is otherwise ready to be discharged tests positive for Covid, they can be discharged to a designated setting. More broadly, the noble Baroness is right: the use of step-down accommodation can be very useful in discharging people from hospital to social care. The point about NHS land is, I am sure, one that we will want to take away.

[Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Lab) [V]]

My Lords, going back to last March, was any assessment at all made of the disastrous policy of discharging patients with Covid into care homes? If it was, will the Minister publish that assessment?

[Baroness Penn (Con)]

My Lords, I am aware of the Public Health England report to which noble Lords referred earlier and of reports in Scotland and Wales that have been published. Those are the reports that I am aware of and they have all been published.