To support this, on 13 May we announced an additional £600 million to support providers through a new adult social care infection control fund.
This document sets out the steps that must now be taken to keep people in care homes safe, and the support that will be brought together across national and local government to help care providers put this into practice. This is the next phase of our response for care homes, using the latest domestic and international evidence brought together by Public Health England, and drawing on the insights of care providers.
Therefore, this plan focuses on how to prevent and control COVID-19 in all registered care homes. We know that many care providers are facing challenges however, care homes have been particularly susceptible to outbreaks of COVID-19. Since the publication of the adult social care action plan, we have been working on the next step of interventions to support the sector. The action plan set out how the government and other parts of the system are supporting people who receive adult social care, both at home and in other settings, so we can control the spread of COVID-19 in care settings, maintain care for people who need it, and save lives.īut this pandemic does not allow us to stand still. In February, the first guidance for the sector was published in March, we announced £1.6 billion funding for local government and £1.3 billion to go to the NHS and social care for discharge support and in April we announced a further £1.6 billion for local government and our detailed adult social care action plan.
We know that care providers across the country have been doing their utmost to keep those they look after safe and well in the most challenging circumstances. Since this pandemic began, we have been working flat out to support the social care sector – drawing on all the levers that government has to help social care providers look after the people in their care. COVID-19 continues to present an unprecedented challenge for social care.