Norfolk given extra £10m to stop Covid spread in care homes
The department for health and social care has announced the Adult Social Care Infection Control Fund, which was first introduced in May 2020, will be extended, with Norfolk being able to use an extra £10.5m worth of funding. - Credit: PA
Norfolk has been given more than £22m worth of government funding to help prevent the spread of coronavirus in care settings.
The department for health and social care has announced the Adult Social Care Infection Control Fund, which was first introduced in May 2020, will be extended, with Norfolk being able to use an extra £10.5m worth of funding. - Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
The Department for Health and Social Care has announced the Adult Social Care Infection Control Fund, which was first introduced in May 2020, will be extended, with Norfolk being able to use an extra £10.5m worth of funding.
Initially, the grant gave out £600m of funding to care settings across the country, with Norfolk receiving more than £12m to support social care providers to reduce the rate of transmission of the virus.
The government has now announced they will be extending the scheme until March 2021, giving the country an extra £546m of funding, of which Norfolk will receive almost £10.5m.
The department for health and social care has announced the Adult Social Care Infection Control Fund, which was first introduced in May 2020, will be extended, with Norfolk being able to use an extra £10.5m worth of funding. - Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
A spokesperson from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the regulator of care facilities, said: "CQC view this as very good news for the county, especially considering the high amount of adult social care services there are in Norfolk, many of which have struggled during the pandemic."
The allocation of funding was calculated by the number of care home beds and people supported by community care providers.
Norfolk currently has 9,626 care home beds and 5,872 community care users and received the eighth-highest amount of funding from the government.
Health secretary Matt Hancock - Credit: PA Photo/PA Wire
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Health and social care secretary Matt Hancock said: "From the very start of this outbreak, we have been working to protect our brilliant social care workforce and the most vulnerable in our society.
"Our package sets out clearly the extra steps local councils and care homes should be taking as we stamp out the spread of this virus."
The funding is split 80/20 between care homes within Norfolk and CQC community care providers and will be put towards making sure any care staff who are isolating will receive their normal wages, support recruitment, provide accommodation for staff who choose to stay separate from their families, and limit staff movement between settings unless absolutely necessary.
The funding can be used for purchases between October 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021.
