Health boss in pledge over care home staff testing
Health bosses have vowed to ramp up testing in care homes after admitting to failings during the early stages of the pandemic.
Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust chief executive Toby Lewis said the region was committed to increasing testing rates for care home staff.
He said a lack of testing had forced some staff to go off sick, placing great "stress and strain" on those who remained at work.
Mr Lewis told the region's coronavirus briefing: "That's where there has been failings amongst us in the last four to five weeks, and we need to make the next few weeks significantly better in the approach to the testing of care home workers."
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A total of 16 care homes in the West Midlands have been 'red flagged' after seeing significantly high instances of Covid-19 symptoms.
They have all been allocated extra support, with teams sent in to help with care for residents, as well as the provision of PPE and testing for staff.
