High Peak MP says Covid-19 recovery unit at Chapel-en-le-Frith care home would ‘be isolated’

The MP told how he had been contacted by a number of worried relatives who had heard of proposals to provide recovery beds for recuperating coronavirus cases at an isolation unit in the home.

He confirmed Whitestones had been identified as having a separate wing capable of being isolated from the rest of the building by Derbyshire County Council.

The council had named the home as one which could isolate recovering Covid-19 patients after being asked by the NHS to assist in finding more recovery beds.

He said: “The Council have assured me that the isolation unit would be a separate entity to the care home - with its own separate staff team - who would use a separate entrance to the building and the appropriate PPE would be in place.

“Nobody in the care home would be able to access the isolation unit and all of this is in line with advice from the experts at Public Health England.

“In short - the isolation unit would be isolated.”

Speaking about social media posts regarding the plans Robert said it was ‘regrettable’ that some had shared ‘incomplete information’, adding this had ‘caused a great deal of distress to many local people - including relatives of care home residents’.

He said: “It is important to note that these plans are still in the development stage.

“Whitestones Care Home has not taken any patients recovering from Covid-19 and the care home has no confirmed cases of the virus.

“At this difficult time it’s more important than ever that people act responsibly and work together constructively.

“I will continue to keep a close eye on these proposals and make certain that nobody is put unnecessarily at risk.”

The MP has asked anyone with ‘specific concerns or questions’ to contact him by emailing [email protected].

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