Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing in care homes: statistics to 8 July 2020
Published 16 July 2020
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Care home testing
On 4 June, the UK Statistics Authority (UKSA) released an article on the impact of COVID-19 on the care home sector. The UKSA recommended further work done by producers of statistics to understand the impact on those in care settings across the UK.
On 6 June, the government met the target to distribute test kits to all care homes for those over 65, or those who suffer from dementia. On 8 June, under the same programme, test kits were distributed to all care homes in England.
From 6 July, whole-home testing in care homes without outbreaks has been implemented – weekly for staff and monthly for residents. From 13 July, outbreaks in care homes will have whole-home testing delivered via pillar 1, with testing for recovery at day 28 since the last case delivered through pillar 2.
This statistical note aims to provide further information on the impact of COVID-19 on the care sector by providing the latest figures on testing for social care staff, their household members and residents of care homes.
This note contains figures relating to tests and people who were tested under pillar 1 or pillar 2 of the government testing strategy:
- pillar 1: swab testing in Public Health England (PHE) labs and NHS hospitals for those with a clinical need, and health and care workers
- pillar 2: swab testing for the wider population, through commercial partnerships
Care home testing statistics up to 8 July
As of 8 July, there had been an estimated 741,021 tests on workers in the UK in social care settings and their symptomatic household members for COVID-19 through Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) testing routes. There have been an estimated 352,946 tests on care home residents for COVID-19 through DHSC testing routes in the UK.
An estimated 100,900 care home residents in England had been tested for COVID-19 through PHE testing routes.
Table 1: latest figures for testing of social care staff and their household members, pillar 2, as of 8 July 2020, UK
| Number of tests | |
|---|---|
| Workers in social care settings and their household members via the self-referral and employer portals | 149,157 |
| Social care staff via care home testing | 591,864 |
| Social care staff and household members (total) | 741,021 |
Data sources:
- number of tests that were registered as having been completed that were originally booked via the NHS Digital self-referral and employer portals for pillar 2 testing. Individuals self-identified at the time of booking as working in a social care setting
- number of tests that were registered as having been completed on staff having been originally ordered through Pillar 2 care home testing
Table 2: latest figures for testing of care home residents, pillar 1 as of 8 July 2020, England
| Number of people tested | |
|---|---|
| Residents in care homes | 100,900 |
Data source:
- PHE estimate of the number of care home residents tested by PHE for pillar 1, calculated by matching the postcode of the individual to known care home postcodes
Table 3: latest figures for testing of care home residents, pillar 2 as of 8 July 2020, UK
| Number of tests | |
|---|---|
| Residents in care homes | 352,946 |
Data source:
- number of tests that were registered as having been completed by residents having been originally ordered through pillar 2 care home testing
We are not able to provide a total for residents in care homes because the figures for pillar 1 are a count of people tested and those for pillar 2 are a count of tests.
For more information see the data quality section below.
Care home statistics on 20 May
On 20 May 2020 the Prime Minister stated in PMQs that 125,000 care home workers and 118,000 care home residents had been tested for COVID-19.
These figures were based on the best available estimates at the time and were therefore derived from a range of sources with different definitions and scope. For care home staff, the figures include household members, as well as other social care staff such as social care workers, CEOs of care homes, cleaners and administrative staff.
Further information on these sources can be found in the data quality section below.
Table 4: latest figures for testing of social care staff and their household members, pillar 2, as quoted by the Prime Minister at PMQs on 20 May 2020
| Number of tests (as at 18 May) | |
|---|---|
| Self-identified workers in social care settings and their household members via self-referral | 85,277 |
| Social care staff via care home testing | 39,629 |
| Social care staff and household members (total) | 124,906 |
Figures for self-identified workers in social care settings are based on the number of tests booked via the NHS Digital self-referral and employer portals for pillar 2 testing.
Figures for social care staff are derived from tests ordered by care homes in pillar 2. For more information see data quality section below.
Table 5: figures for testing of care home residents, pillar 1, as quoted by the Prime Minister at PMQs on 20 May 2020
| Number of people tested (as at 12 May) | |
|---|---|
| Residents in care homes | 57,000 |
The number of people tested is estimated by PHE for pillar 1 by matching the postcode of the individual to the addresses of care homes. For more information see data quality section below.
Table 6: figures for testing of care home residents, pillar 2, as quoted by the Prime Minister at PMQs on 20 May 2020
| Number of tests (as at 18 May) | |
|---|---|
| Residents in care homes | 61,074 |
Figures for the number of tests are derived from tests ordered by care homes in pillar 2. For more information see data quality section below.
The figures quoted by the Prime Minister on 20 May included people tested and a count of tests, which gave a reasonable estimate of the scale of testing in care homes. Over time, as more people are tested more than once, the figures for number of tests and number of people tested have diverged more. That means that this method of calculating an overall estimate can no longer be used.
Measuring the data
Data quality
Throughout this statistical note we refer to both number of tests and number of people tested, which are not the same. For clinical reasons, some people are tested more than once. Therefore, the number of tests will be higher than the number of people tested. The proportion of people tested more than once will have been small at the start of the pandemic but will grow over time.
The figures in this note are estimates, based on the most relevant information currently available. Work is ongoing to improve the quality of this data. They have been derived from the following 3 sources:
1. Tests conducted which were ordered via the self-referral and employer portals (Pillar 2) from NHS Digital
Essential workers can book a test, or their employers can refer people for testing, through a dedicated route with capacity for these groups. Social care staff data from the self-referral and employer portals include both individuals self-identifying as social care staff, and in some cases their symptomatic household members. This is a count of tests, not people tested, and includes cases where people have received more than one test. The number of tests is counted when tests are registered after they have been conducted. This data is for the UK.
2. Care home tests conducted in satellite test centres (pillar 2) from NHS Digital
Care home managers or local directors of public health (in England) can book for delivery of testing kits to care homes. Tests sent to care homes using pillar 2 care home testing are swab tests which are conducted in satellite test centres for pillar 2 and is a count of tests, not people tested. The number of tests is counted when tests are registered after they have been conducted. Data is recorded as to whether the test was for a resident or for staff. This data is for the UK.
Weekly data for tests conducted in satellite test centres in England is also included in the weekly NHS Test and Trace bulletin.
3. Care home residents tested (Pillar 1) from PHE
An estimate of the number of care home residents tested through PHE and NHS laboratories operating under pillar 1 of the government’s testing strategy, which includes testing for hospital inpatients and PHE’s testing of care home residents with COVID-19 symptoms to identify new outbreaks in care home settings. This estimate is based on matching postcodes of individuals to the addresses of care homes.
This is a count of individuals tested and has been de-duplicated so people who have multiple tests in pillar 1 would only appear once. There may still be some double-counting of individuals who have had tests in both pillar 1 and pillar 2. The number of people tested is counted when tests are processed through PHE and NHS laboratories. This data is for England only.
Table 7: summary of data in this statistical note
| Data | Testing pillar | Source | Geographical coverage | Methodology |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests conducted which were ordered via the self-referral and employer portals | 2 | NHS Digital | UK | Tests, not de-duplicated |
| Care home tests conducted in Satellite Test Centres | 2 | NHS Digital | UK | Tests, not de-duplicated |
| Care home residents tested | 1 | Public Health England | England | People tested, de-duplicated |
Data limitations
Tests conducted which were ordered via the self-referral and employer portals (pillar 2) from NHS Digital
Due to self-identification these data will include people from social care professions that are not exclusively care homes (for example, domiciliary carers, or children’s social care providers). Individuals identify as working in one of these professions while requesting a test (via a dropdown).
In some cases, this will also include symptomatic household members of essential workers identifying as working in a social care setting.
This is a count of tests processed not individuals tested, so may count multiple tests for an individual both within and across testing routes.
This will not be able to account for all social care staff or resident tests, as some will be undertaken through routes that do not record information on residence or employment type.
Care home tests conducted in satellite test centres (pillar 2) from NHS Digital
Data will include people in a range of roles including administrative or medical staff.
This is a count of tests processed not individuals tested, so may count multiple tests for an individual both within and across testing routes.
This will not be able to account for all social care staff or resident tests, as some will be undertaken through routes that do not record information on residence or employment type.
Care home residents tested (pillar 1), from Public Health England
To identify care home residents the records of individuals being tested are matched against postcodes that (according to CQC records) belong to care homes. It is estimated that around 12% of cases will have the same postcode as a care home but will not be a resident in one, with the person residing in their own home. Therefore, the final PHE estimate for the number of residents tested under pillar 1 comes from taking 88% of the total number of people tested whose postcodes match up with care homes.
Other published statistics
Figures for the total number of people being tested are also published and can be found in the following places:
For further information on care home statistics visit the sources listed below:
- The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is collaborating with the Care Quality Commission in England, Welsh Government and Care Inspectorate Wales to publish early estimates of COVID-19 related deaths in care homes
- Public Health England, Scottish Government and Department of Health NI publish information about the number of COVID-19 outbreaks in care homes
- The Welsh Government is publishing weekly data on notifications of deaths at Welsh care homes on behalf of Care Inspectorate Wales
- ONS, National Records of Scotland and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency have started to release data and statistics on care home residents, in addition to reporting on registered deaths in care homes, giving a more complete picture of care home resident deaths including where the death may have happened in hospital or elsewhere