Isle of Man Covid Review Calls for Greater Care Home Protections
An Isle of Man review into it’s government’s handling of the Covid pandemic calls for more to be done to ensure care homes have greater protection in the event of a similar outbreak in the future.
The Independent Isle of Man Covid Review report sets out findings of strength and weakness in the Island’s pandemic response and makes practical recommendations in a wide range of areas, which seek to support this Government to improve the Island’s resilience so that it is stronger going into another pandemic, as well as assisting future governments to respond robustly to any prolonged emergency.
The review, conducted by Kate Brunner KC includes a recommendation for an equal focus on social and community-based services in the future, including an explicit recognition of the difficulties faced by private care homes, such as the lack of access to bank staff.
The review also found there was ‘speed and agility’ in drafting the legislation, however criticised the transparency of these law changes, which it describes as a ‘grave concern’.
It describes a ‘casual approach to recording the legality of decisions’, including a ‘lack of written advice from the Attorney General’, making it ‘extremely difficult’ for people to understand the law.
The report is urging the Isle of Man government to conduct an analysis of the cause of care home outbreaks, and whether different support could have prevented or mitigated them.
There’s also a call for bespoke protocols to be created for the care sectors, including with regards to PPE.
Ms Brunner stated there were inadequate policies in relation to care homes, and that a lack of attention was paid to the facilities during planning.
However, she concluded ‘it is not possible to determine who out of Abbotswood and DHSC staff was not wearing PPE, and whether it contributed to the outbreak’.
Rollout of the vaccinations were described as ‘one of the government’s major successes during the pandemic’, but also adds that there was ‘no appropriate process for the Island to consider when and whether to follow the UK’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation guidance’, leading to an ‘inconsistent approach to decision-making’.
Despite this, from March 2021 the Isle of Man’s rollout ‘outperformed the UK and other Crown Dependencies
Chief Minister Alfred Cannan MHK welcomed the publication commenting: “The findings make clear that there are lessons to be learned and things we could have done differently. But it also demonstrates that there are aspects of the Covid response of which our Island can be proud.
“The report highlights the Manx community’s remarkable capacity to come together in a crisis. It finds that, overall, the Isle of Man fared much better than many other places.
“The report also noted the contribution of the Island’s public servants and volunteers who worked so hard to serve the public and to whom we owe a debt of gratitude. It also recognises the significant willingness of the whole Island to come together and support each other through such a difficult time. To everyone in our community who played a role in responding to the pandemic, I extend my thanks.”