Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that deaths from covid-19 in care homes are accurately recorded.

On 29 April 2020 the Government introduced a new daily death reporting protocol which includes deaths that have occurred in all settings where there has been a positive COVID-19 test such as hospitals, care homes and the wider community. More information can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/daily-death-reporting-now-includes-all-positive-covid-19-deaths

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is also publishing stats from deaths registered in a given week, which include deaths outside hospital such as care homes. From 28 April 2020, the ONS will publish counts of deaths involving COVID-19 in care homes, based on reporting from care home operators to the Care Quality Commission. These figures will put deaths involving COVID-19 in care homes in proper context, alongside the ONS’s more comprehensive figures.