A manager has told of the ‘devastation and tears’ as staff watched loved residents die when their Hereford nursing home was ‘engulfed’ by coronavirus.

Despite all the hard work and dedication of staff at Stretton Nursing Home at Burghill, 12 of the 40 residents died as the virus ripped through.

“It was the most horrific thing I have witnessed. It was soul destroying. You cannot imagine the strain and the days and days that we cried,” said Registered Manager Beverley Anderson.

“It was mayhem. Some residents would be getting better and then suddenly go downhill and within 24 hours they had gone.

“Some you thought were strong enough to get through it, but they didn’t.

“These were people we used to sing with, smile with, join in group activities.”

But Beverley is also enormously proud of how the staff – many of whom were struck down by the infection – battled to keep the residents safe and continue to provide loving care.

We saved 26

“We lost 12 but my staff saved 26 people. The team were so strong and so determined. They were just wonderful.”

It remains a mystery how the virus got into the home. It had locked down early, on March 12, and did not have the first diagnosis until April 24.

That led to everyone in the home being tested, and getting 25 positive tests.

“It is unbelievable how quickly it spreads. And people were testing positive before getting symptoms.”

The home has 30 care staff and during the months of lockdown 13 of them were infected and had to go off work.

The darkest days

In the ‘darkest days’ all the residents were confined to their rooms and staff in full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) were doing barrier nursing.

“When all residents had to stay in their bedrooms it was horrible for them and, of course, their families who had not seen them for weeks and weeks.

“We did our best to spend as much time as possible with each individual and on occasions using our own mobile phones to Facetime families and friends so residents could at least see their faces.

“We told relatives they could come to the windows to see residents and we would turn their beds or chairs facing the window so they could wave or try to chat.”

On top of the strain of watching residents ill and dying, staff also faced the fear of taking the virus home to their own families.

Beverely is full of praise for Herefordshire Council who provided vital PPE.

Weekly testing of residents and monthly testing of staff has now given the home a clean bill of health – ‘We are virus free’ – and the singing and smiles are back in the home.

Staff still ill

But two staff members of staff continue to suffer from the serious after effects of Covid – including very low blood pressure, headaches, fatigue and night fevers – and the home has now created a new isolation unit as it once again takes new residents and prepares for a second wave it desperately hopes will never come.

But now staff have the experience of working in PPE, know how the virus acts and the signs to watch out for, while the home is deep cleaned constantly, with one person’s full time job just to disinfect handles, rails, door knobs over and over again.

The experience has left Beverley scarred but so enormously proud of her dedicated team, and she has nominated them in the Hereford Times Health and Social Care Awards, which recognise the fantastic service provided by local health and care staff.

Who is your care hero?

We are sure there are many other heroes out there who deserve special recognition. It’s quick and easy to nominate To nominate an individual or a team, just go to https://www.herefordtimes.com/awards/healthandsocialcare/ and fill in the form.

Entries are open until August 21. The categories are: Health Care Team; Care Hero; Care Home Worker; Domiciliary Home Worker; Good Nurse; Care Trainer; Child and Adolscent Health; Dementia Carer; Palliative/End of Life; Mental Health; Health Care Employer; GP Practice of the Year