Nus Ghani, MP for Wealden, has met with Wealden’s care home providers to discuss pressures on Wealden care homes this winter.
During this virtual meeting, a case has been brought to Nus’ attention regarding issues with test collections. It has been reported by a care home based in Uckfield, that couriers were failing to collect 25% of tests. This leads to issues with care staff shortages due to self-isolations, delayed results and wasted test kits.
Nus has raised the issue with the Secretary of State for Health during the Covid-19 debate in Parliament this week. She praised Wealden's care home workers and voiced her concerns over looming winter flu and couriers not picking up care home staff test kits. The Secretary of State has promised to look into the matter immediately.
Nus has long been advocating for both data and resources to be made available to Wealden services ahead of winter and for more mobile testing units across Wealden to ensure anyone who needs a Covid test can access it quickly and easily.
Nus also continues to stress the impact of extended Covid measures and restrictions on Wealden. She is determined to ensure that decisions on restrictions are based on science and take unintended consequences across Wealden into account.
Nus Ghani said: “It is my priority to ensure that care homes across Wealden have access to Covid-19 testing and that they are fully prepared for the winter ahead. If care home staff do not get their test results back in time, they cannot provide a service to the residents, who are already struggling without the support of their families. I welcome the Secretary of State’s reassurances to look into the matter immediately and I will continue to work with representatives from Wealden care homes to ensure that they have access to testing of residents and staff, sufficient levels of PPE and that they are well prepared.”
A video of Nus' contribution in Parliament is available here.
You can read more in the Sussex Express article attached below.
