THE operator of Daneside Court Care Home has sadly confirmed that some of its residents have passed away from ‘suspected coronavirus’.

HC-One stated that it was company policy not to provide the number of cases or deaths at one of its homes.

However, it did confirm that there are a ‘small number’ of suspected or confirmed cases at the Chesterway home, and that some residents have passed away, with a contributing factor in some of those deaths being suspected coronavirus.

This comes after a concerned reader contacted the Guardian regarding the measures in place to safeguard both residents and staff living and working at the care home.

They said: “There is something going badly wrong at Daneside Court Care Home.

“There are people with coronavirus living there and there are no procedures to help them.

“They haven’t got basic equipment like thermometers to test whether people are showing symptoms of Covid-19 or not.

“People are dying, residents are being left without having their beds cleaned and people are frightened to go in there to work.

“The thermometers they’ve got are old fashioned, they don’t work and cannot be relied on.

“Staff have been trying to buy their own thermometers but can’t get hold of any as they’re out of stock.

“People are trying to help residents, but they need some help from outside.”

In response, a HC-One spokesperson said: “Our thoughts and sympathies are with all families who have lost a loved one from coronavirus and we are doing our utmost to support them during this difficult time.

“Caring for our residents and supporting our colleagues is at the heart of what we do, and we are doing everything we can to make sure our residents and colleagues stay safe and well throughout these challenging times.

“We have a comprehensive coronavirus contingency plan in place, which was created by our clinical director and reflects the latest government guidance.

“We are working closely with our local health and care partners, and we have all the medical equipment, PPE, and supplies we need to protect residents and colleagues alike.

“The home has plenty of thermometers, with a new supply expected to be delivered this week.

“Our dedicated nurses are also able identify any potential symptoms, including a high fever, as part of their training.

“Furthermore, we have a range of additional measures in place to support colleagues, including access to online GPs, mental health support, and a dedicated colleague helpline available seven days a week.

“We engage weekly with our partner union and endeavour to respond to all colleague feedback so that we have the best support package possible.

“We are proud of our colleagues and how they have risen to the challenge of the coronavirus outbreak by showing huge dedication and commitment to our residents.

“We are providing round-the-clock support for all our teams, and we are also grateful to relatives for their ongoing support and understanding."

HC-One operates 328 care homes across the country, employing 23,000 members of staff to support 17,000 residents.

As of Sunday, April 26, it confirmed that there were 3,055 suspected or confirmed cases of Covid-19 in its homes, with the number of deaths confirmed or suspected to be as a result of Covid-19 totalling 616.

According to the Office for National Statistics, there were 4,343 deaths in care homes involving coronavirus reported by care home providers in England to the Care Quality Commission up to April 24.