Coronavirus: Huddersfield residential home staff move on to site

Staff at a residential home have been described as "angels" after agreeing to live on site to help shield residents from coronavirus.

Meadow Court Residential Home in Slaithwaite, Huddersfield, said it is currently free of the virus and wants to remain so.

Director Stephen Humble said 16 staff and four directors would live in eight donated motorhomes for three weeks.

He said staff had been "overwhelmingly positive" to the idea.

Mr Humble said the decision to impose their own version of lockdown, to protect 34 residents, staff and their families, had been considered for some weeks.

'Massive ask'

He said the importance of taking the right action had been highlighted to him by the recent death of his uncle and his uncle's cousin, who had both tested positive for Covid-19 in a care home.

"We had an overwhelmingly positive response and it just goes to show what a fantastic set of people we have working for us and how much they actually care for the residents here.

"This is a massive ask on our staff to leave their families and loved ones for three weeks and is a big reflection on their commitment to both us and our(their) residents and they have shown nothing but professionalism, energy and heart throughout this situation.

"These people are without doubt angels and going that extra mile".

Staff and directors plan to remain in the motorhomes for three weeks

Before asking staff to live on site, the home had implemented changes to its procedures.

That included limiting visitors to just the residents' GP, the district nurse and creating a temporary area in a small lounge where they could see patients without having free access to the home.

He added: "Where it is deemed essential that physical contact is required, staff and medical teams are asked to don PPE (personal protective equipment) when they go in and the room is deep cleaned after each use."

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