The Welsh Government has expanded testing in care homes following concerns that the care sector has been ignored during the coronavirus outbreak.

The change means that all staff and patients at care homes where COVID-19 is present will now be tested, as well as those displaying symptoms.

There are two ways in which a person can be tested after their employer and local authority refers them. They are mobile testing in the community, and drive-in testing centres in Newport and Cardiff.

In April, Care Inspectorate Wales announced that the number of deaths in Welsh adult care homes had more than doubled compared to the same period last year.

On Tuesday, May 5, the Office of National Statistics revealed that 5,890 deaths of COVID-19 have occurred in care homes in England and Wales to date.

The change in Welsh Government policy coincided with criticisms that it did not meet its testing target of 5,000 tests a day for April.

The new Welsh Government policy diverges from that of the UK Government, where testing has been rolled out to all staff and patients in all care homes.

Despite the change in Wales, many within the sector believe it must go further.

Several care workers in the county have told Caerphilly Observer that by not regularly testing all staff and patients, it is only a matter of time until COVID-19 enters homes that are currently virus-free.

Their arguments centre on the concerns that some staff may carry the virus while not displaying symptoms, as well as anecdotal evidence of older patients potentially displaying different symptoms to those that meet the current testing criteria.

Juan Garcia, branch chair of UNISON in Caerphilly, said: “UNISON has called for care home testing to be automatic in line with England. Our members are anxious, and they can’t understand why we have a different approach here in Wales. Employers must join us in lobbying to get care home testing expanded.

“We continue to work constructively with Caerphilly Council to resolve issues in the care sector during this crisis. The decision on testing in care homes rests with Public Health Wales, not the local council.”

Heléna Herklots, Older People’s Commissioner for Wales, has also called for further testing in care homes.

She told Caerphilly Observer: “Whilst the Welsh Government’s announcement that testing in care homes would be more widely available is an important step forward, evidence on the potential for asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic transmission of coronavirus means there would be value in further extending testing so it is available to residents and staff in all care homes in Wales.

“I therefore hope that the Welsh Government will further extend its testing policy as a matter of urgency, to ensure that people living and working in our care homes can stay safe and well.”

Asked at the Welsh Government’s press briefing on Tuesday why testing policy in care homes is different here than in England, Welsh Health Minister, Vaughan Gething, said that the scientific advice doesn’t currently support extending testing to all staff and patients regardless of whether the virus is present.

Mr Gething said he is not aware of different scientific advice in England, and that testing is one part of a strategy to protect those living and working in care homes which also includes infection prevention.

Hefin David, AM for Caerphilly, said: “Where have now reached the correct policy on testing in care homes based on the evidence that is available about the spread of coronavirus.

“Government policy must be guided by the latest Public Health Wales advice and the policy for testing everybody in care homes where COVID-19 is present is the right one.

“This advice should also be publicly available in order to provide and ensure public confidence in the advice.

“I am meeting PHW on Thursday this week and I will update my Facebook page with information gathered in that meeting.”