Police probe into Northamptonshire care home where 15 Covid-19 patients died

Police are investigating a Northamptonshire care home where 15 Covid-19 patients died.

Family members of widower Mikhail Waskiw, from Roade, demanded answers after he was among those who died last month having contracted coronavirus while at the home.

Northamptonshire Police issued a statement yesterday saying: “We are aware of recent issues relating to Temple Court Care Home in Kettering.

“We are working with the Safeguarding Adults Team at Northamptonshire County Council to investigate these further.”

The investigation is expected to last months.

A family member of one resident — who did not want to be named for fear of compromising the police investigation — said they are angry and broken and revealed a conversation with her father-in-law the week after lockdown, when families were barred from visiting.

She said: “His words were; ‘What about me?’ He thought he had been abandoned.

“I said, ‘I want to get him out of there’. I called social services and they said ‘I really wouldn’t suggest him coming out at a time like this.”

She added: “Nobody will ever be able to comprehend not being able to see a loved one for three to four weeks before they died and not to be there at the end.

“Three times in the last week of his life we asked for a phone call with him, but the home did not call.”

The home, which is run by Amicura, part of the Minster care group, was closed after the local authority social care department and health authorities ordered bosses to move out all its surviving residents in early May.

Temple Court claims it was Covid-19 free before March 19 when 15 patients were sent there untested after being discharged from the county’s two hospitals to free up beds ahead of an expected surge in patients.

County authorities are not confirming if residents who were moved from hospitals into care homes were tested or not.

Mr Waskiw was moved from Northampton General Hospital on February 28 his family were he had a chest infection on April 3. He was taken into Kettering General Hospital on April 5 and died the following day.

His son Garry, 58, said recently: "Obviously I am a bit angry. I don’t blame the carers in the care home, but we do want to know what has happened."

It is understood the local authority became aware of issues at Temple Court on May 1 and had provided extra nursing and support to the home.

A statement from Temple Court said: “The police are statutory members of adult safeguarding boards and it is routine practice to get in contact in cases such as this.

"We have been given no indication so far what they are investigating, but we will cooperate fully with their enquiries.

“The home was left in an extremely challenging position after a sudden influx of residents from the NHS – some of whom had very complex needs – and a subsequent outbreak of Covid-19.

“A large number of staff, including the home manager and senior team, were absent due to the virus and we were left disproportionately reliant on the use of agency staff.

"After becoming overwhelmed, we worked closely with Nene CCG, the local authority and Care Quality Commission to move them to settings that were not as compromised.”

A spokesperson for NHS Northamptonshire CCG and Northamptonshire County Council said: “In line with our standard practice a multi-agency investigation has begun into the issues raised. It would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.”

Who was Mikhail Waskiw?

Mikhail Waskiw was born in the Ukraine in 1928, and after being captured by the Germans when a teenager he was rescued by the Americans and then settled in Britain, making his home in Roade.

He married local woman Sheila and worked at piano makers Pianoforte Supplies for many years. Sheila died in 1978 and 20 years later he remarried Barbara, who died in the 2000s.

He was admitted to Northampton General Hospital a week before Christmas after a fall. He had a hip operation and stayed there for ten weeks before being moved to Temple Court.

The family made 40-mile round trips from Roade to Kettering each day to visit the much-loved grandfather. However the home closed its doors to visitors on March 13 and they never saw him again.

They were told he had a chest infection on April 3. He was taken into Kettering General Hospital on April 5 and died there the next day.

Mikhail's family described him as an upbeat person who loved to garden.

His funeral was held at Roade Cemetery at the end of April and as well as mourners in the churchyard, people stood in a nearby field to pay their last respects.