The Government has published its adult social care winter plan, setting out the ambitions and challenges for social care later this year, including key actions for councils, care providers, NHS England and national bodies.
The plan’s four themes cover preventing and controlling the spread of infection in care settings; working across health and care services; supporting people who receive social care, the workforce, and carers; and supporting the system.
The Social Care COVID-19 Support Taskforce also published its report setting out the progress and learning from the first phase of the pandemic.
The LGA said that councils and care providers have been working constantly throughout the pandemic to support our elderly and most vulnerable people, despite facing significant pressures.
LGA Community Wellbeing Board Chairman Cllr Ian Hudspeth said while it is understandable that government wants oversight of the developing situation, further monitoring requirements should not place any unnecessary burdens on providers and councils’ vital ongoing work.
He also said the plan’s free supplies of personal protective equipment is good and the right distribution needs to be in place to make sure this reaches the frontline on time.
Cllr Hudspeth added: “Funding should also be kept under regular review, to make sure councils and providers are in the best possible position to respond to a potential second wave and able to increase capacity for care at home, which will be essential to meet demand through the winter.”