Council boss praises care workforce in Hertfordshire

Speaking at a meeting of the county council’s special cabinet panel on Friday (April 17) Mr Mapley said staff at the county council had been working “intensely” over the last few weeks to continue and to ramp up services.

And he singled out those working on the front-line – including those working alongside NHS workers, those in care settings, adult care, social care and education.

He said there were more than 30,000 people in the care workforce across the county who were very much on the front-line of service provision, though not directly employed by the county council.

And he said he was delighted to see ‘clap for carers’ recognising social care, as well as the ‘remarkable’ work of the NHS.

Meanwhile he also highlighted the work of those behind the scenes – in areas such as finance and technology – councillors and the large numbers of volunteers who had signed up to supply food and medicines to vulnerable people.

As part of the response to Covid-19, the county council is co-ordinating Operation Shield to support residents with serious underlying health conditions and Operation Sustain to support those affected by the virus.

According to the report to the panel, 700 food parcels had been delivered directly to residents as part of Operation Shield by April 7- with a further 900 parcels to support food banks and families in crisis.

The report says 8000 people had stepped forward to volunteer – with 2000 already recruited.