Probe after Covid-positive Anglesey carers allowed to work

Ann Bedford, the owner of the Caledonia care home, said she was unable to get emergency cover for the shifts

The Welsh government will investigate why staff with Covid-19 were brought in to work at a dementia care home, the health minister has said.

The Caledonia home in Holyhead, Anglesey, said 11 of its 12 residents had Covid and the two staff only cared for residents who were also positive.

A shortage of workers was blamed, with the move agreed with social services when no emergency cover was available.

Health Minister Eluned Morgan said "it is not a situation that is acceptable".

Outlining why the Welsh government will investigate, she accepted the care sector is "under incredible pressure", but added: "There can be no excuse for putting somebody who has Covid in front of someone who hasn't got Covid."

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Ms Morgan added the government had mounted a large recruitment campaign to try and plug the gaps.

"Frankly, a lot of people have left who were working in the care sector," she said, adding many staff from eastern Europe had left Wales as a result of Brexit.

"I think it is important for us to underline this for the situation that we are in."

Ann Bedford said it had been increasingly difficult to recruit staff over the past decade, adding there was "no spare capacity in the system".

There are usually between 13 and 15 staff including a manager, two full-time carers, 11 part-time staff, two cooks and two cleaners at the home.

The home struggled to recruit staff even before the pandemic began

Last weekend there were only three day staff, no cleaners, one cook and no night staff.

The two Covid-positive staff came in to cover the night shift as there was no emergency cover available.

By Wednesday morning, Ms Bedford had one person to work with the 12 residents.

Anglesey council said it worked closely with the care home since the staffing shortages had been brought to its attention.