Abstract
Much has been written about the prevalence of COVID-19 infections in care homes in Europe and North America, with claims that the high mortality rate has been worsened by the policy decisions taken by governments. This essay argues that the concept of statutory neglect is a useful framework for understanding situations where neglect results from law or policy rather than the lack of action by an individual caregiver.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.Alzheimer’s Society, Marie Curie, Age UK, Care England & Independent Age (2020 ) ‘Call for a Comprehensive Government Plan to Support Social Care (Open Letter to Secretary of State for Health and Social Care) . Ekklesia , 14 April . Available online at: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/29509 (accessed 2 June 2020 ).
2.
Booth
R.
(2020 ) ‘Care Home Records 24 Deaths in One of Worst Covid-19 Outbreaks ’, The Guardian , 2 June . Available online at: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/jun/02/uk-care-home-records-24-deaths-in-one-of-worst-covid-19-outbreaks (accessed 3 June 2020 ).
3.
Brand
P.
(2020 ) ‘Care Homes Row Erupts as Johnson Hits Back at Starmer’s Call for Him to Correct Coronavirus Advice Record in Commons ’, ITV News , 13 May . Available online at: https://www.itv.com/news/2020-05-13/boris-johnson-keir-starmer-pmqs-coronavirus-lockdown/ (accessed 2 June 2020 ).
4.
Carreno
B.
Allen
N.
(2020 ) ‘Lockdown: Nursing Homes in Spain a Vector for Deadly Coronavirus ’, Reuters , 22 March . Available online at: https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-spain-lockdown-ins/lockdown-nursing-homes-in-spain-a-vector-for-deadly-coronavirus-idUKKBN2190N7 (accessed 1 June 2020 ).
5.
Carswell
S.
(2020 ) ‘Coronavirus: Care Facilities Have More than 62% of Overall Deaths ’, Irish Times , 7 May . Available online at: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/coronavirus-care-facilities-have-more-than-62-of-overall-deaths-1.4246827 (accessed 2 June 2020 ).
6.
Chakelian
A.
Grylls
G.
Calcea
N.
(2020 ) ‘How the UK’s Care Homes Were Abandoned to Coronavirus ’, New Statesman , 24 April . Available online at: https://www.newstatesman.com/science-tech/coronavirus/2020/04/coronavirus-care-homes-carers-elderly-deaths-PPE (accessed 24 April 2020 ).
7.
Comas-Herrera
A.
Zalakain
J.
Litwin
C.
Hsu Amy
T.
Lane
N.
Fernandez
J.
(2020 ) Mortality Associated with COVID-19 Outbreaks in Care Homes: Early International Evidence . ILTCN . Available online at: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c2fa7b03917eed9b5a436d8/t/5eb30c5fe3ce0d5db39672f8/1588792416458/Mortality-associated-with-COVID-3-May-final-1.pdf (accessed 2 June 2020 ).
8.
Dickson
J.
(2020 ) ‘An In-Depth Look at Five Long-Term Care Facilities Observed by Canadian Armed Forces ’, Globe and Mail , 26 May . Available online at: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-an-in-depth-look-at-five-long-term-care-facilities-observed-by/ (accessed 1 June 2020 ).
9.
Forrest
L.
(2020 ) ‘Canadian Military Details Horrific Conditions in Nursing Homes Battling Covid-19 ’, Politico , 26 May . Available online at: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/05/26/canadian-military-details-horrific-conditions-in-nursing-homes-battling-covid-19-282605 (accessed 3 June 2020 ).
10.
Gallagher
B.
(2000 ) ‘The Extent and Nature of Known Cases of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse ’, British Journal of Social Work 30 (6 ): 795 –817 .
11.
Gauriat
V.
(2020 ) ‘The Deadly Impact of COVID-19 on Europe’s Care Homes ’, Euronews , 14 May . Available online at: https://www.euronews.com/2020/05/08/the-deadly-impact-of-covid-19-on-europe-s-care-home (accessed 2 June 2020 ).
12.
Grey
S.
Macaskill
A.
(2020 ) ‘In Shielding Its Hospitals from COVID-19, Britain Left Many of the Weakest Exposed ’, Reuters , 5 May . Available online at: https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/health-coronavirus-britain-elderly/ (accessed 3 July 2020 ).
13.
Howlett
K.
Mahoney
J.
Stone
L.
(2020 ) ‘Infestations, Sedation and Neglect: Military Report Details ‘Horrific’ Living Conditions in Seniors’ Homes ’, Globe and Mail , 26 May . Available online at: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-infestations-sedation-and-neglect-military-report-details-horrific/ (accessed 1 June 2020 ).
14.
Huet
N.
(2020 ) ‘Coronavirus: Care Homes Could Be Where Over Half of Europe’s COVID-19 Deaths Occur, Says New Study ’, Euronews , 17 April . Available online at: https://www.euronews.com/2020/04/17/coronavirus-care-homes-could-be-where-over-half-of-europe-s-covid-19-deaths-occur-says-new (accessed 4 June 2020 ).
15.
Hull
J.
(2020 ) ‘UK Gov’t Criticised for Neglect of Coronavirus in Care Homes: Critics Say Government Failed to Protect Elderly in Nursing Centres Early On ’, Al Jazeera , 13 May . Available online at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/05/uk-govt-criticised-neglect-coronavirus-care-homes-200513055022967.html (accessed 1 June 2020 ).
16.International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) (2014 ) Global Definition of Social Work . Rheinfelden : IFSW . Available online at: https://www.ifsw.org/what-is-social-work/global-definition-of-social-work/ (accessed 3 July 2020 ).
17.
Jolly
A.
(2018 ) ‘No Recourse to Social Work? Statutory Neglect, Social Exclusion and Undocumented Migrant Families in the UK ’, Social Inclusion 6 (3 ): 190 –200 .
18.
Jolly
A.
(2019 ) ‘From the Windrush Generation to the “Air Jamaica Generation”: Local Authority Support for Families with No Recourse to Public Funds ’, in
Heins
E.
Rees
J.
Needham
C.
(eds) Social Policy Review 31: Analysis and Debate in Social Policy , pp. 129–50. Bristol : Policy Press .
19.
MacCharles
T.
(2020 ) ‘82% of Canada’s COVID-19 Deaths Have Been in Long-Term Care, New Data Reveals ’, Toronto Star , 7 May . Available online at: https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/2020/05/07/82-of-canadas-covid-19-deaths-have-been-in-long-term-care.html (accessed 4 June 2020 ).
20.
McDonald
L.
Beaulieu
M.
Harbison
J.
Hirst
S.
Lowenstein
A.
Podnieks
E.
Wahl
J.
(2012 ) ‘Institutional Abuse of Older Adults: What We Know, What We Need to Know ’, Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect 24 (2 ): 138–60.
21.
Manful
E.
Abdullah
A.
(2018 ) ‘Conceptualisation of Child Neglect: A Ghanaian Practice Narrative ’, International Social Work . Epub ahead of print 14 November. DOI: 10.1177/0020872818810382.
22.
Murray
J.
(2020 ) ‘The Government’s Neglect of Care Homes Is One of the Greatest Failures of This Crisis ’, Politics Home , 13 May . Available online at: https://www.politicshome.com/thehouse/article/it-must-be-an-absolute-priority-for-the-government-to-protect-residents-and-workers-in-care-homes (accessed 1 June 2020 ).
23.National Health Service (NHS) (2018 ) Abuse and Neglect of Vulnerable Adults . London : NHS . Available online at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/help-from-social-services-and-charities/abuse-and-neglect-vulnerable-adults/ (accessed 4 June 2020 ).
24.
Peart
L.
(2020 ) ‘Research Estimates Put “Real” Care Home COVID-19 Death Toll at Over 22,000 ’, Care Home Professional , 14 May . Available online at: https://www.carehomeprofessional.com/research-estimates-put-real-care-home-covid-19-death-toll-at-over-22000/ (accessed 4 June 2020 ).
25.Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) (2012 ) Protecting Adults at Risk in London: Good Practice Resource . London : SCIE . Available online at: https://www.scie.org.uk/publications/adultsafeguardinglondon/indicatorsofabuse/institutionalabuse.asp (accessed 3 June 2020 ).
26.The Guardian (2020 ) ‘The Guardian View on the Care Home Crisis: Culpable Neglect ’, The Guardian , 14 April . Available online at: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/apr/14/the-guardian-view-on-the-care-home-crisis-culpable-neglect (accessed 1 June 2020 ).
27.
Trabucchi
M.
De Leo
D.
(2020 ) ‘Nursing Homes or Besieged Castles: COVID-19 in Northern Italy ’, The Lancet Psychiatry 7 (5 ): 387–8. Available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30149-8
28.World Health Organization (WHO) (2020 ) Elder Abuse . Geneva : WHO . Available online at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/elder-abuse (accessed 4 June 2020 ).