Comment homecare ENVIRONMENT Editor


Tim Probert timprobert@stepcomms.com


Online Sales Executive Matthew Moore matthewmoore@stepcomms.com


Journal Administration


Katy Cockle katycockle@stepcomms.com


Design Steven Dillon


Publisher Geoff King geoffking@stepcomms.com


Publishing Director


Trevor Moon trevormoon@stepcomms.com


THE CARE HOME ENVIRONMENT is published monthly by Step Communications Ltd, Step House, North Farm Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 3DR, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1892 779999 Fax: +44 (0)1892 616177 Email: info@thecarehomeenvironment.com Web: www.thecarehomeenvironment.com


Vaccination programme a rare success in Covid fight


Welcome to the February issue of The Care Home Environment. It was on 15 May when Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said at


a Downing Street briefing that the government had tried to throw a "protective ring” around care homes “right from the start” of the pandemic. By then, at least 13,776 Covid-related care home deaths had been registered


in England and Wales. As The Care Home Environmentwent to press, a total of 32,474 care home


resident deaths had been recorded where Covid was mentioned on the death certificate since the start of the pandemic. In Scotland, a further 2,980 care home deaths have been registered since the week ending 20 March 2020.


When the inevitable public inquiry into the handling of the pandemic is concluded, one suspects Hancock’s claim that a protective ring had been put around care homes will be shown to be considerably wide of the mark


When the inevitable public inquiry into the handling of the pandemic is


concluded, one suspects Hancock’s claim that a protective ring had been put around care homes will be shown to be considerably wide of the mark. Two days after making that claim in May, however, the government


announced it was investing £65.5m in developing the University of Oxford vaccine and AstraZeneca would deliver 100m doses under a global licensing agreement between the two organisations. The funding meant the UK was the first country to get access to the vaccine


and that investment has indisputably paid off as other countries struggle to obtain sufficient doses for an effective roll-out. The government was able to offer a first dose to almost all care home


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The Publisher is unable to take any responsibility for views expressed by contributors. Editorial views are not necessarily shared by the journal. Readers are expressly advised that while the contents of this publication are believed to be accurate, correct and complete, no reliance should be placed upon its contents as being applicable to any particular circumstances.


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residents in England by 31 January, as promised. As we went to press, Scotland was on course to give a first jab to all residents by 5 February. By prioritising care homes and staff, the government may have gone some


way to redressing the mistakes made during the early stages of the pandemic, not least those relating to official guidance and the discharge of untested hospital patients. Despite the errors, the government’s genuinely world-leading vaccination


programme should be admired and applauded. Enjoy the magazine.


Tim Probert • Editor timprobert@stepcomms.com


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February 2021 • www.thecarehomeenvironment.com


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