Sutton in Ashfield care home first in UK to trial machine which could help prevent spread of Covid 19

A Sutton in Ashfield care home business is at the cutting edge of potentially ‘lifesaving’ new technology which could help to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
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Ashmere Nottinghamshire Ltd, which runs the Sutton Lodge, Sutton Manor and Sutton Court elderly care homes, all on Priestsic Road, is taking part in a one month trial of a new Covid-19 testing machine which delivers its results in 88 minutes.

The care facility, which has 145 residents and 150 staff, across its three homes, is the first in the country to take delivery of the diagnostic machine. The trial is one of a number of Covid-19 studies that have been given urgent public health research status by the Department of Health and Social Care.

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Care home managers Emily Smith, Tracy Stubbs, Paula Jefford along with the quality manager Danielle Cotton and Ashmere Nottinghamshire Ltd MD Claire Sharpe have been trained and are using the machine to gather data. The results will then be evaluated and presented to the DHSC.

Ashmere Nottinghamhire Ltd care home manager Paula Jefford along with the quality manager Danielle Cotton work on the Covid 19 testsAshmere Nottinghamhire Ltd care home manager Paula Jefford along with the quality manager Danielle Cotton work on the Covid 19 tests
Ashmere Nottinghamhire Ltd care home manager Paula Jefford along with the quality manager Danielle Cotton work on the Covid 19 tests

MD Claire Sharpe said: “They wanted to trial new tests in settings where they would be used, in hospitals and care homes, so we put ourselves forward for the trial. It speeds up the whole Covid-19 testing process, bringing it down to 85 minutes, which potentially could help reduce the spread of Covid-19, and save lives.

"At the moment, it can take several days to get Covid test results back. When we do the throat and nasal swab test we have to do the test, then it has to go by courier, then in the lab, they have to run the test, then get the result back to us. By this time we would have had to isolate a resident, which can be very upsetting for them and their families. It’s just not nice.

“With this machine, we know within 85 minutes whether someone has got Covid-19.”

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"The possibilities of this machine and its use in care home settings is endless, it will help keep residents and the staff safe, and it will massively reduce the risk of spreading Covid-19.

Ashmere Care Homes in Sutton in Ashfield.(photo shoot 0616-008)Ashmere Care Homes in Sutton in Ashfield.(photo shoot 0616-008)
Ashmere Care Homes in Sutton in Ashfield.(photo shoot 0616-008)

"In the future, it could open the doors to having visitors again, no more garden visits, which are not ideal. It’s very upsetting for families as care homes are only allowing essential personnel.”

During the pandemic, 15 residents at two of the three care homes lost their lives to the virus.

Claire said: “It was the most terrible time. We never want to go through that again. If the trials are successful the DHSC may be able to fund a machine for care homes.”

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"The machine took us a morning to learn, it’s was not exactly a walk in the park to use, but it is logical and usable by people like us, who are not scientists, or techy, but that was part of the trial, to try to understand if it was in a care home setting, would staff be able to use it.”

Ashmere Care Homes in Sutton in Ashfield - Picture: Ashmere Care HomesAshmere Care Homes in Sutton in Ashfield - Picture: Ashmere Care Homes
Ashmere Care Homes in Sutton in Ashfield - Picture: Ashmere Care Homes

“We have always prided ourselves on being a leading light in elderly care so we are absolutely delighted to be trialling the new machine.

"The company who funded the machine does not wish to be named, but it has made eight of them, four in A&E settings and four in care homes.”

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