Coronavirus: Untested staff at Port Talbot care home feel 'second class'

Four of those who died at Alma Lodge care home tested positive for coronavirus

The owner of a care home where six residents died in two weeks has said his staff feel like "second-class citizens".

Nigel Clark, who owns Alma Lodge care home in Taibach, Port Talbot, said Public Health Wales would not test them for Covid-19.

Four of those who died tested positive and the other two had shown symptoms.

The Welsh Government has said staff and residents in homes where someone was positive would get coronavirus tests.

Two staff members are sleeping in the care home lounge to protect their families, while a manager is living in a caravan on her drive.

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Mr Clark, 51, said Public Health Wales would not test his staff as the outbreak at his business was not classed as "new".

"Every carer in the home felt like a second-class citizen," he said. "It was such a demotivator."

Care home owner Nigel Clark says staff cannot get tested because the virus outbreak is not "new"

After the Welsh Government announced testing would be expanded, Mr Clark spent Sunday preparing notes to arrange testing.

But he said Public Health Wales called him back the same day and told him: "You've got to have symptoms to be tested."

Mr Clark said he chased the matter up on Monday.

"They came back Monday afternoon saying, 'really sorry we've not updated our paperwork, we'll try and get back to you in the next couple of days'."

The caravan occupied by care home manager Michelle Wright

Manager Michelle Wright, 42, who is living on her driveway to protect her family, said: "It's heartbreaking to know that my family is so close but so far away as well."

Ms Wright said isolating was taking its toll on residents.

"A lot of them are very low in mood," she said.

Public Health Wales has been approached for comment.