Alnwick care home 'proud' of role as rehab unit for Covid-19 patients

Beech Tree House, which opened last autumn at a cost of £12m, is caring for patients recovering from the virus.

Northumberland Clinicial Commissioning Group commissioned the beds for patients who are within the 14-day isolation period to prevent them potentially infecting residents and staff in their permanent care home.

A spokesman for Prestwick Care, which operates the care home, said: “Beech Tree House is facilitating the local authority, CCG and NHS with a dedicated unit for the care and treatment of the people who have been in hospital or in the community having contracted Covid-19 and who are recovering and are stable but are still in the isolation period.

“We view this as a duty to the people of Northumberland and are very proud to have been able to play a part to help the NHS and local communities during this unprecedented time.

“The unit in question is on a dedicated floor which has its own separate entrance and exit, laundry, staff room, kitchen and communal facilities.

"Although we have no residents in the other units in the home, this unit has dedicated staff who do not have access to other areas of the home.

“Since day one we have put in place the most stringent processes to ensure that staff resident and all visitors to the home follow strict PPE protocols for their safety.”

It is understood a number of staff have returned positive Covid tests but Prestwick Care says it is unable to provide any personal information.

They also point out that it is unlikely that any home in the country would have had staff or residents who have not been infected by Covid 19 at one time or another.

Staff, as at other care homes in the area, have commenced a vaccination programme.

Clinical Commissioning Groups across the country have been instructed by NHS England to have a site where medically fit patients can go once they are discharged from hospital.

Beech Tree House, on Lisburn Terrace, which has 86 patient rooms, was opened by the Duchess of Northumberland in September.

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