I don’t think anyone will be surprised at the Advanced Care Research Centre at Edinburgh University establishing the greater likelihood of coronavirus outbreaks in larger care homes (Covid-19 outbreaks up to 20 times more likely in large care homes, study finds, 14 July).
Almost 30 years ago in the House of Commons I raised the implications of the increased trend towards larger care homes. The privatisation of the residential care and nursing home sector, started under the Thatcher and Major governments, led directly to what might be termed a “warehousing” approach to care, where the larger the institution, the more money could be made.
It is a disgrace that leaving vulnerable people to the whims of what is termed the “care market” has been tolerated by successive governments, including those of my own party.
The deaths of nearly 22,000 care home residents from Covid-19 is a shocking indictment of the cross-party abandonment of the elderly to business interests. A return to the public provision of social care is a matter of great urgency.
David Hinchliffe
Labour MP 1987-2005, former shadow care minister and health committee chair
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