Amnesty: COVID-19 care homes policies violated human rights
Amnesty International have published a report called - As if Expendable - which sets out it's view that the UK Government failed to protect older people in care homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sending thousands of patients untested from hospitals into care homes, at the height of a pandemic, was wrong and put lives at risk.
Between 2 March and 12 June 2020, 18,562 residents of care homes in England died with COVID-19, including 18,168 people aged 65 and over, representing almost 40% of all deaths involving COVID-19 in England during this period. According to Amnesty's report, a "number of poor decisions at both the national and local levels had serious negative consequences for the health and lives of older people in care homes and resulted in the infringement of their human rights" as enshrined in law.
Researchers for the organisation interviewed relatives of older people who either died in care homes or are currently living in one; care home owners and staff, and legal and medical professionals. Amnesty said it received reports of residents being denied GP and hospital NHS services during the pandemic, "violating their right to health and potentially their right to life, as well as their right to non-discrimination".
Amnesty International: As if Expendable.
As if Expendable was published on the 04 October 2020.
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