CARE homes are being told they should have “do not resuscitate” orders on every patient, it has been claimed.

The alleged instruction to GPs from Brighton and Hove Clinical Commissioning Group even came with a suggested script to use in the conversations, a leaked document reportedly reveals.

Critics have accused the health authority of turning the homes into hospices and say the signing of DNR forms is now happening on “an industrial scale”.

When approached, the CCG said there had been “undue alarm caused by the interpretation of this particular guidance”, but refused to say what had been misinterpreted.

This comes amid an escalating care home crisis in the city, with four care homes now suffering their own outbreaks.

Peter Kyle, MP for Hove and Portslade, said: “Managers I have spoken to have been offended and deeply appalled by this.

“One care home manager I spoke to had 16 residents out of 26 sign DNR forms in on day, you can’t tell me that was done as part of a thoughtful, considered and sensitive process which involved each of their families.

“Right now, our care homes are being asked to act like hospices.”

The document, which has been seen by the BBC and Mr Kyle, reportedly says many vulnerable people may not be admitted to hospital for treatment.

It also reportedly directed homes to check they have a resuscitation order on every patient, providing the following script to use in conversations with families: “Frail elderly people do not respond to the sort of intensive treatment required for the complications of coronavirus.

“The risk of hospital admission may be to exacerbate pain and we therefor recommend that in the event of coronavirus, hospital admission is undesirable”

An Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre (ICNARC) report reveals the current ICU survival rate for different age groups in the UK.

  • About 75 per cent of people aged 16-49 survive.
  • About 60 per cent of those aged 50-69 survive.
  • About 25 per cent of those aged over 70 survive.

This comes after cases were confirmed at St Christopher’s Residential Care Home in Rutland Gardens, Hove, Lindridge Care Home in Laburnum Avenue, Hove, and Craven Vale in Craven Road, Brighton.

There are 35 GP practices and 98 residential or nursing homes in the area.

Mr Kyle added: “Rather than stopping this from happening, they are instead preparing for the widespread loss of life.

“This is why we have to take a step back and refocus the conversation on how we stop people from getting it in the first place.

“We can keep Covid-19 out of care homes by testing people who work there, stopping agency workers from moving from home to home and by getting the workers the PPE (personal protective equipment) they need. It is simple, but not one of those things are being done.”

The Sussex Clinical Commissioning Groups said: “Our aim is always to ensure the treatment all patients receive is compassionate, high quality and in line with their own informed wishes, and agreeing advance care plans is a routine and important part of how GPs and care homes support their patients and residents.

“However, we recognise there may have been undue alarm caused by the interpretation of this particular guidance, and we will be following up with our GPs and local care homes to address any concerns and reinforce the importance of discussing these issues on an individual basis in a sensitive and well-informed way.”

When asked how the guidance had been misinterpreted, it said “we won’t be adding further to the statement”.

Public Health England announced there are now 71 confirmed cases in Brighton and Hove, 129 cases in East Sussex and 199 in West Sussex.

  • The coronavirus Sussex Crisis Fund has been set up to help those affected by the pandemic. The Argus’s charity and American Express have each donated £50,000 to kick-start the appeal. Grants will usually be for up to £5,000. More information is available at www.sussexgiving. org.uk/apply. To donate visit www.totalgiving.co.uk/appeal/sussexcrisisfund