17 September, 2020 Open access
17 September, 2020 Open access
Department of Health and Social Care says that fund can be used to pay staff wages for those self-isolating and hire more staff to restrict movement between homes
More than £500 million is to be given to social care providers to reduce coronavirus (COVID-19) transmission and help protect staff and residents.
Announcing that the Adult Social Care Infection Control Fund - which was set up in May 2020 to reduce the rate of COVID-19 transmission in and between care homes and support wider workforce resilience - is to be extended until May 2021 with an additional £546 million, the Department of Health and Social Care says that the fund will help care providers pay staff full wages when they are self-isolating, and enable staff to work in only one care home, reducing the risk of spreading the infection.
Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said today -
'From the very beginning we have done everything possible to make sure our social care system is protected and has the resources it needs to keep our brilliant workforce and those they care for safe.
This new funding of over half a billion pounds will support not only care home residents, but also some of the most vulnerable in society living at home and in supported living.
I know this will give peace of mind to so many, and we will set out further detail in our Adult Social Care Winter Plan this week.'
For more information, see More than £500 million for social care to reduce coronavirus transmission over winter from gov.uk
Updates
18 September 2020: the Adult social care: coronavirus (COVID-19) winter plan 2020 to 2021 has been published to gov.uk
22 October 2020: the Northern Ireland Health Minister has confirmed that funding of a scheme introduced in June 2020 - that supports care homes to continue paying staff 80 per cent of care workers' salaries when on sick leave for COVID-19 related reasons - has been extended to the end of 2020/2021.
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