Ashfield District Council leader slams Boris Johnson care home comments

The Prime Minister has accused some care homes of failing to follow proper procedures during the coronavirus pandemic.

Councillor Jason Zadrozny, the Leader of Ashfield District Council said comments by Boris Johnson over care homes were ‘appalling.’

He said the Prime Minister appeared to be shifting the blame for the high death toll and asked if the district’s two Conservative MPs would distance themselves from the comments.

Ashfield MP Lee Anderson has accused Coun Zadrozny of trying to score cheap political points.

Councillor Zadrozny said: “I know that courageous staff in our care homes put their lives at risk during the coronavirus pandemic.

“I have been inundated with complaints from care home staff across Ashfield.

“They are still putting their lives at risk and I have found myself in a position where I am apologising for the Prime Minister.

“Let’s be very clear about this, the lack of leadership from Boris Johnson on care homes cost lives.

“It’s an insult to care workers who feel quite rightly aggrieved. Right through the coronavirus, I received call after call from care workers with concerns about lack of PPE.

“On top of this, many complained about the use of agency workers and their worries that they were touring care homes spreading the virus.

“They also complained about a lack of clear direction and guidance from the government right through the crisis.”

Almost 30,000 more care home residents in England and Wales died during the outbreak than during the same period in 2019 - with two-thirds of those deaths attributed to the virus. At least 312 UK members of NHS and social care staff have died of coronavirus.

Councillor Zadrozny also criticised the Prime Minister for trying to ‘spin and cover up’ the government’s response to the coronavirus. He made the comments in response to the head of NHS England's call for reform in social care within a year.

Conservative MP for Ashfield, Lee Anderson said care homes across Ashfield and Eastwood had coped incredibly well during the pandemic and he had personally been in touch with them during this difficult time.

He said: “Having spoke to many of them I am aware that they all work slightly differently as they cater for different types of service users. Some homes have had multiple deaths whilst others have not had a single death. We must learn from this and not shy away from the issue.

“I find it incredible that the leader of ADC presides over a council where only 60 per cent of staff have been allowed to work from home whilst in Broxtowe nearly 100 per cent of staff have been working from home.

“This is a case of a council leader losing a grip on reality and using this pandemic to score cheap political points.”

He said good practices in care homes should be praised and poor practices should be investigated and lessons should be learnt.

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