Infection control fund renewed: CCN response

Today the Department for Health and Social Care has announced it is renewing its Coronavirus infection control fund for care homes during the winter, to be distributed to providers by local authorities.

This new fund totals £546m for the winter period and aims to prevent the spread of the virus between care staff, and to pay wages if individuals have to self-isolate. Read the full details here. 

Below, the County Councils Network responds to the announcement.

Cllr David Fothergill, health and social care spokesperson for the County Councils Network, said:

“Today’s announcement that the infection control is going to be renewed for over the winter is reassuring to our staff and care providers who are facing up to a difficult few months. We need to learn from the lessons of the first wave of coronavirus and ensure that government provides social care with the necessary protection it needs over the winter period, instead of seeing the sector as an afterthought to the NHS.

 “County authorities have worked quickly to distribute this previous pot of funding directly to providers and will continue to do so over the coming weeks as we prepare for additional pressures during winter.

“We will encourage ministers to make sure the criteria for distributing the fund is as simplified as possible, so councils can get it to the frontline as quickly as possible.”