Four Covid deaths at Doncaster support service for patients leaving hospital

The deaths happened at the Positive Steps unit, in Bentley, and saw the unit closed to new admissions at one stage because of concerns about the problem.

It is the latest revelation about Covid 19 in a setting which was looking after patients who had left hospital, after concerns were revealed last week over the disease at the Hawthorn rehabilitation ward at Tickhill Road Hospital.

Today it has emerged that a total of 28 cases of the virus were recorded at Postive Steps, which has recently re-opened to new admissions.

The facility was rated as good in all categories when it was last inspected by the Care Quality Commission in September 2019.

Doncaster Council confirmed four people had died at the venue, based on The Avenue, Bentley, in a statement issued today.

It stated: “The Positive Steps Unit is a short-stay facility used to support people to leave hospital where they need a period of assessment and support before either going back home or needing to move to a care home setting. The unit is not a care home.

“A decision was taken on April 19 to proactively suspend new admissions due to a number of people exhibiting Covid-19 symptoms. All the guests and staff were tested and 13 guests and 15 staff tested positive. Unfortunately, four of the guests have died due to the coronavirus.

“From the onset we isolated guests in their own rooms as per government guidance, took their temperature twice a day, suspended non-essential visitors and implemented measures to prevent and control infection which has included scheduled deep cleaning in all areas.

“The unit has been Covid free since May 5 and we are now accepting new admissions.”

One widower last week told the Free Press that he had not been told of the presence of Covid 19 on the Hawthorn Ward at Tickhill Road Hospital, where his wife stayed for rehabilitation after a fall. She later died after contracting the illness.

The Covid death toll for the Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals and borough care homes is 172.