Covid inquiry finds care homes were an 'afterthought' in pandemic response

Bereaved families in Northern Ireland say lessons must be learned as report details government failings

By LineZotpaper

Published21 October 2026

Read Time2 min

A new report from the UK Covid inquiry has found that government failings allowed the coronavirus to spread unchecked in care homes, with the sector treated as 'something of an afterthought' in the early stages of the pandemic. The sixth report, published on Tuesday, said there was no 'protective ring' around homes as ministers had claimed, leading to more than 43,000 recorded deaths involving Covid in care homes between March 2020 and July 2022.

The 287-page report criticised the lack of personal protective equipment for carers, the discharge of hospital patients into care homes without adequate safeguards, and the severe restrictions on visits that caused enormous harm to residents and their families. It said about 1.5 million adults were either living in care homes or receiving support in their own homes when the pandemic hit, and that action to protect them came too late, with devastating consequences.

Martina Ferguson, whose mother Ursula Derry died during the pandemic, said the report has 'reopened wounds for many families here in Northern Ireland'. Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme, Ferguson said: 'We need to learn from what's happened.' She described how families were prevented from being with loved ones, standing outside windows trying to communicate through glass, and that years later they still carry 'deep feelings of guilt'.

Ferguson has created Ursula's Law, a proposed legislative campaign in Northern Ireland named in her mother's memory, which aims to establish a statutory right for patients to designate a care partner across all health and social care settings. She warned that if Stormont does not enshrine this right, another health crisis would bring 'utter chaos' because trust is 'totally broken'.

Pauline Shepherd, chief executive of Independent Health & Care Providers, said the government's response to Covid in care homes was 'much too little, too late'. She described it as 'a horrific time for people living in the care homes, their families and the staff that were caring for them'.

Analysis

Why This Matters

The report exposes systemic failures that led to tens of thousands of preventable deaths in care settings, the most vulnerable part of the population.
Bereaved families are pushing for legislative change through Ursula's Law, which could reshape how care homes operate in future health emergencies.
The findings raise questions about preparedness for any future pandemic, with trust in health guidance severely damaged.

Background

The UK Covid inquiry was established in 2021 to examine the government's handling of the pandemic. This sixth report focuses specifically on the care sector, a topic that has drawn particular criticism because care homes were hit early and hard by the virus. Previous reports have covered PPE, the initial response, and the impact on the NHS. Northern Ireland has its own distinct health system, but many of the failings identified are UK-wide.

Key Perspectives

Bereaved families: Represented by Martina Ferguson, they seek a statutory right to a care partner so that no family is again locked out of a loved one's care. They say lessons have not yet been learned and that trust in the system is broken. Care providers: Through Pauline Shepherd, they echo the criticism that the government was too slow and that the sector was neglected. They highlight the traumatic experience for residents, families and staff. Government: The report's findings do not include a government response in the source material, but ministers have previously defended their actions and pointed to the unprecedented nature of the pandemic.

What to Watch

Whether the UK government and Northern Ireland Executive formally accept the report's recommendations.
Progress of Ursula's Law in the Northern Ireland Assembly, which could become a model for other regions.
Any further inquiry reports examining other aspects of the pandemic response, including potential legal accountability.

Sources

'Lessons need to be learnt' as report into care homes during Covid published · BBC Northern Ireland

Checked

12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 5 supported.

Show each claim

Partly supportedThe inquiry found care homes were an “afterthought” in the pandemic response.BBC Northern Ireland: “said the care sector appeared to be “something of an afterthought” in the early stages of the pandemic”
Partly supportedBereaved families in Northern Ireland say lessons must be learned, according to the summary.BBC Northern Ireland: “Lessons need to be learnt after an inquiry found that government failings in care settings allowed the spread of Covid, a woman whose mother died during the pandemic has said.”
Partly supportedThe report found government failings allowed Covid to spread unchecked in care homes.BBC Northern Ireland: “Lessons need to be learnt after an inquiry found that government failings in care settings allowed the spread of Covid”
SupportedThe report said there was no “protective ring” around homes, as ministers had claimed.BBC Northern Ireland: “there was no “protective ring” put around homes as claimed by ministers at the time”
Partly supportedThe lack of a protective ring led to more than 43,000 recorded Covid-involving care-home deaths between March 2020 and July 2022.BBC Northern Ireland: “There were more than 43,000 recorded deaths involving Covid in care homes between March 2020 and July 2022.”
Not in the sourcesHospital patients were discharged into care homes without adequate safeguards.BBC Northern Ireland: “The 287-page report also highlighted shortages of personal protective equipment for carers and criticised the way hospital patients were discharged into care homes.”
Partly supportedRestrictions on visits caused enormous harm to residents and their families.BBC Northern Ireland: “It said limits on visits caused enormous harm to residents and their loved ones, though it blamed this on care homes themselves.”
SupportedMartina Ferguson said the report had “reopened wounds for many families here in Northern Ireland”.BBC Northern Ireland: “She said the report has “reopened, wounds for many families here in Northern Ireland”.”
SupportedMartina Ferguson said, “We need to learn from what's happened.”BBC Northern Ireland: “Martina Ferguson, whose mother Ursula Derry died during the coronavirus pandemic, said “we need to learn from what's happened”.”
SupportedFerguson said families still carry “deep feelings of guilt” years later.BBC Northern Ireland: ““Years later, families are still carrying deep feelings of guilt”
Partly supportedFerguson warned that if Stormont does not enshrine the right, another health crisis would bring “utter chaos” because trust is “totally broken”.BBC Northern Ireland: ““If we face another health crisis or a pandemic, we face, in my opinion, utter chaos in healthcare settings because the trust is totally broken and people simply won't comply,” she added. She said if Stormont is serious about Bengoa's report and improving the health care system they “must enshrine this absolute right in law””
SupportedPauline Shepherd said the government’s response was “much too little, too late” and described the period as “a horrific time” for residents, families and staff.BBC Northern Ireland: “Pauline Shepherd, chief executive of Independent Health & Care Providers, said the “government's response to Covid in care homes was much too little, too late”. “It was a horrific time for people living in the care homes, their families and the staff that were caring for them.””