EARLY decisions, clear actions and the diligence of staff have kept two care homes free of Covid-19.

Swindon Borough Council owns and runs two care homes for elderly people with disabilities and dementia at Fessey House in Haydon Wick and Whitbourne House in Park South

And neither has had a case of coronavirus despite continuing to receive new residents and service users.

Sharron Black oversees both homes and she said she and her service manager, Martin Micenec, decided to lock down a week before the government made it mandatory.

Sharron said: “We decided we would shut both homes to any visitors on March 18. We spoke to all the service users and all their next of kin to explain what we were doing and why – and they were very supportive.”

To allow residents to keep in touch with their families Sharron bought tablet computers for their use.

She said: “We didn’t want people to come and speak to their relatives through the windows – everyone here has some form of dementia and that could upset them, or others.

"The family members ring in and book a time and we help the service user with the screen – it’s not perfect, but it is a lot better than just a phone call.”

Both homes have more than 60 staff and they have all had to adapt to new ways of working.

Sharron and Martin decided to separate Fessey House, which has four self-contained blocks, into four units – each with their own individual teams. Whitbourne House was divided into upper and lower floors, again with teams who only worked in one area.

A special eight-bed referral unit at Fessey House, where people needing care after leaving hospital are taken in until a longer-term solution is found, has continued to operate. It is totally sealed off from the rest of the home’s operations

Sharron said: “We had to look at the staff and their skills and put them together in teams. They had separate entrances and we gave them all masks and gloves and alcohol hand gel and anti-bacterial wipes if they had to come and go by public transport or taxis.

“Some had to go off and shield and there were some who were very worried about coming in to work, but as they saw the measures we put in those fears faded.

“I want to say a big thank you to all our team – they’ve worked so hard and they’ve taken everything really seriously. They put their lives on hold so they could be safe to provide the care our service users need.

“Everyone is being tested regularly, staff and service users and we haven’t had one case.

“We’ve also had great support from Swindon Borough Council so I’d like to say a big thank you for that as well.”

The council’s cabinet member for adults and healt, Brian Ford said: “The staff at both Fessey and Whitbourne have done an outstanding job in incredibly difficult circumstances in recent months.

“The care they have provided has been first rate and when we carried out recent inspections of both homes with an emphasis on their Covid-19 preventative measures, they both passed with flying colours. To not have any cases in either home speaks volumes for the care and dedication of all the staff and long may that continue.”