Hertfordshire County Council welcomes commitment from Government to extend infection control funding this winter

Hertfordshire County Council has welcomed today's (Thursday) announcement from the Government that care providers will be given an extra £546 million to bolster infection control and help protect residents and staff throughout winter.

The Infection Control Fund, set up in May, has now been extended until March 2021, with an extra £546 million to help the care sector restrict the movement of staff between care homes to stop the spread of the virus.

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.

This brings the total funding for infection control measures in care homes to over £1.1 billion and underlines the government’s commitment to ensure adult social care has the resources it needs to keep residents and staff safe.

Tim Hutchings, executive member for Public Health at Hertfordshire County Council said: "Today’s announcement from central government that the funding supporting infection control will be renewed for councils is very welcomed in Hertfordshire.

"This will be extremely important as we prepare for this winter period with all the lessons learned from the first wave of coronavirus.

"Our focus in Hertfordshire will be as ever to support all Hertfordshire residents through all the services we provide or commission and this infection control funding will continue specific support for care home providers and social care.

"We remain committed to doing our best to distribute funding where it is needed locally to help all our services operate in a covid secure manner alongside residents all playing their part so we can stay safe in Hertfordshire this winter.’

Data published by DHSC in July showed the funding has helped providers to take key steps to improve infection prevention and control in care settings, including restricting staff movement in care homes and paying staff to self-isolate.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Matt Hancock said: "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."