Heartbreak at Peterborough care home after six residents die after contracting coronavirus

Chris Graham, national operations director of Trust Care Management, who run the Philia Lodge Care Home in Eastfield Road, said staff were not sure how the virus got into the care home, but a number of residents and staff had been affected. Along with the six who died, Regional Operations Director for the North, Sarah Couzens is in hospital having tested positive for COVID-19 after a spell working at the home, and another resident is receiving end of life care having contracted it.

Chris said: “It has been very difficult. We restricted visitors right at the start, and then went into lockdown, so we don’t know how the virus got in, but 85 per cent of our staff have also been sick and in isolation.

“We have been really struggling for PPE - the council gave us a four day supply, but we are now having to improvise a bit.

“We are making sure everyone is isolated as much as they can be.

“We are also facing a funding problem - costs have gone up for a lot of things and we are really struggling - we might potentially have to look at closing. We are spending so much more on PPE - the NHS do not have to pay VAT on it, but we do, for example. We spent more than £1,000 on PPE in the last month, which is much, much more than we normally would. Our bed fees have also gone up from the CCG. It is a real struggle at the moment.”

However, despite the struggles staff were facing, Chris said the staff at the home were amazing. He said; “Our staff are doing so many tasks. They were described as low skilled workers before, but now they are heroes.

“All the staff are stepping up and pulling together in a difficult time.

“We are coming past the peak of this now, but it has been so tough, staff working in the hot weather in full PPE kit, in the circumstances we have. It has been amazing.

“Some of the residents who have died have been big characters at the home, and they will be missed a lot.”

The residents at the home have been able to see family members at a safe distance, using video calling software.”

Chris said Peterborough residents could help the home with a fundraising campaign to buy PPE, and for a memorial for those who have died as a result of the virus.