Hospital discharge, infection and outbreak control funds: CCN response

CCN Latest News, CCN News 2021 | 18 March 2021

The government has today announced further tranches of funding for Coronavirus infection control and the discharge of patients from hospital into care settings, alongside more funding and a new framework for local outbreak control.

The announcements incorporate £340m for infection control and testing in care settings, and £594m to assist with the discharge of patients from hospital into care settings. Both of these are for the 2021/22 financial year.

The government has also announced a new framework for the contain outbreak management fund, to be distributed to local authorities in 2021/22 and totalling £400m.

Cllr David Williams, chairman of the County Councils Network, said:

“Today’s announcement of a further £340m for infection control plans and testing within care settings is a recognition that despite the majority of care home residents and staff being inoculated, there are still risks for individuals in those settings. County authorities will work on further strengthening care infection control plans, and distributing this funding to providers promptly. Alongside this, a further £594m to assist with the safe discharge of patients from hospitals into care settings is also welcome.

“With the publication of the latest guidance on the contain outbreak management fund, county authorities will continue to play the lead role in supporting public health activities and protecting residents in their areas. We are disappointed that the methodology has changed for this round of funding, and it means that county areas in totality will receive less of this funding despite the evidence from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s Delta returns not showing that other types of councils face higher costs.”