Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish his response to the National Care Forum letter of (a) 26 March 2020 on the discharge to care homes of hospital patients who had not been tested for the covid-19 virus and were exhibiting symptoms of that virus and (b) 10 April 2020 on the risk of litigation in the event of the discharge to care homes of hospital patients that were not tested for covid-19 subsequently infecting other care home residents.

The Department does not have record of the mentioned correspondence from the National Care Forum.

As set out in the Adult Social Care Action Plan on 15 April, all patients are now required to be tested prior to discharge to a care home.

A small number of people who have tested positive for COVID-19 may be discharged from the National Health Service within the 14-day period from the onset of COVID-19 symptoms and also require ongoing social care. Some care providers will be able to accommodate these individuals through effective isolation strategies or cohorting policies – such as keeping residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 together in one dedicated area.

If a care home provider does not feel they can provide the appropriate care for these individuals, the individual’s local authority should secure alternative appropriate accommodation and care for the remainder of the required isolation period. Costs of providing alternative accommodation are covered by the £1.3 billion COVID-19 discharge funding provided via the NHS in March.