Patients discharged from hospital to care homes after testing positive for coronavirus

In response to a freedom of information request, the Trust confirmed that a total of 433 patients were discharged from the Trust’s hospitals to care homes between March 1 and April 15 this year.

The Northern Health and Social Care Trust is, geographically, the largest in Northern Ireland, covering sections of four council areas, Antrim and Newtownabbey, Causeway Coast and Glens, Mid and East Antrim and Mid Ulster.

Its website claims it also has the “largest older population” when compared to other health and social care trusts in Northern Ireland.

Northern’s Ireland first coronavirus patient was confirmed on February 27 with the country’s first death from the disease confirmed on March 19.

Lockdown began on March 28.

Of the 433 patients discharged from Northern Trust hospitals to care homes between March 1 and April 15, 69 were tested for COVID-19 prior to discharge.

Of those tested, the response to the freedom of information request reveals, 63 patients produced a negative result. The response indicated that no results were recorded as inconclusive during this time period.

However, six patients discharged to care homes between March 1 and April 15 did test positive for COVID-19.

When asked if this meant six patients were discharged despite testing positive for the virus, the Trust’s information governance officer said it was “in keeping with the guidance at that time”.

“Six patients were discharged with a positive COVID result to their own care home residence over the period March 26, 2020 to April 9, 2020. This was in keeping with the guidance at that time” said the information governance officer.

“These patients with known COVID positive status no longer required consultant led care and would have been discharged to their own care home in consultation with care home managers with appropriate discharge advice on the need for isolation and use of personal protective equipment [PPE] for staff.

“There would have been a full hand over and discussion on the appropriateness of returning to the care home.”

Adam Morton , Local Democracy Reporting Service