public health – Page 69 – The NEN

Edinburgh communities thanked for Covid-19 support

Chief Superintendent Sean Scott has praised the Capital’s communities for their commitment to physical distancing over the past few weeks. The Divisional Commander also called on everyone to keep playing their part in helping fight the spread of coronavirus.

He said: “This has been a difficult and testing time for many of us, but I am delighted by how positively the overwhelming majority of people within Edinburgh have responded to the restrictions.

“Deputy Chief Constable Malcolm Graham has today urged the public across Scotland to continue and stay at home, avoiding the temptation of the good weather. I echo these sentiments.

“Please do not leave the house unless it is for an essential activity such as buying food and medicine, or for travelling to work, if you are a key worker.

“You are also allowed to go out for daily exercise, but please stay within your local area and where possible keep driving to a minimum.

“We have a number locations which attract residents such as Portobello Beach, The Meadows, Inverleith Park, Cramond foreshore and the Pentland Hills, all of which are beautiful in the sunshine, but the safe and responsible thing to do at this time is to avoid these areas where possible to ensure physical distancing.

“The Chief Constable has previously spoken about the importance of police taking a common-sense approach at this time and so Police Scotland officers are committed to engaging with the public, highlighting the necessity of staying indoors and encouraging people to return to their properties.

“If, and only if, these options have been exhausted, will we consider enforcement of the coronavirus legislation.

“Please also remember that house parties and gatherings with anyone out with your household are not permitted at this time. However, there are plenty of other ways to stay connected with family and friends, such as by telephone or by using online platforms.

“Thank you so much for all of your efforts to date but you still have a vital role to play in preventing the spread of coronavirus. Please stay at home, protect our NHS and save lives.

“Figures issued today show that 118 fixed penalty notices have been issued in Edinburgh between Friday 27th March and Thursday 23rd April.”

Coronavirus: “We must stay vigilant”

Business Secretary Alok Sharma gave the 17 April 2020 daily press briefing on the UK Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic:

Good afternoon. I am joined today by the government’s Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance and Dr Yvonne Doyle who is the medical director of Public Health England.

Before I talk about some decisions taken today, and Sir Patrick provides an update on the latest data, I would like to set out the steps we are taking to defeat coronavirus.

Our step-by-step action plan is aiming to slow the spread of the virus so fewer people need hospital treatment at any one time, protecting the NHS’s ability to cope.

At each point we have been following scientific and medical advice and we have been deliberate in our actions – taking the right steps at the right time.

We are also taking unprecedented action to increase NHS capacity by dramatically expanding the numbers of beds, key staff and life-saving equipment on the front-line to give people the care they need when they need it most.

This is why we are instructing people to stay at home, so we can protect our NHS and save lives.

I can report that through the government’s ongoing monitoring and testing programme, as of today:

A total of 438,991 people in the UK have now been tested for coronavirus, that includes 21,328 tests carried out yesterday.

Of those, 108,692 people have tested positive.

That is an increase of 5,599 cases since yesterday.

18,978 people are currently in hospital with coronavirus in the UK.

And sadly, of those hospitalised with the virus, 14,576 have now died.

That is an increase of 847 fatalities since yesterday.

We must never forget that behind every statistic is a family member or a friend.

And all our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of those who have lost their lives.

These figures are a powerful reminder to us all of the importance of following the government’s guidance. And as the Foreign Secretary outlined yesterday, the current social distancing measures will remain in place for at least the next 3 weeks.

And there are 5 tests that must be satisfied before we will consider it safe to adjust any of the current measures.

First, we must protect the NHS’s ability to cope. We must be confident that we are able to provide sufficient critical care and specialist treatment right across the UK.

Second, we need to see a sustained and consistent fall in the daily death rate from coronavirus, so we can be confident that we have moved beyond the peak.

Third, we need to have reliable data from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) showing that the rate of infection is decreasing to manageable levels across the board.

Fourth, we need to be confident that the range of operational challenges, including testing capacity and PPE, are in hand, with supply able to meet future demand.

Fifth, and most importantly, we need to be confident that any adjustments to the current measures will not risk a second peak of infections that overwhelm the NHS.

The worst thing we could do now, is ease up too soon and allow a second peak of the virus to hit the NHS and hit the British people.

So I want to thank each and every person across the UK who is following and supporting the government’s advice to stay at home, in order that we protect our NHS and, ultimately, save lives.

I know we are asking you to make sacrifices. And it is challenging. But we need to keep going. Working together, we will defeat this invisible enemy.

Now is not the time to let up. The risk still persists – not only for yourself, but for the people around you. So we must stay vigilant.

But of course, the point we hope to get to, one of the ways we can defeat this virus, is to find a vaccine.

Just as Edward Jenner developed the smallpox vaccine in the eighteenth century, we need to apply the best of British scientific endeavour to the search for the coronavirus vaccine.

To that end I can announce today, that the government has set up a Vaccines Taskforce to co-ordinate the efforts of government, academia and industry towards a single goal:

To accelerate the development of a coronavirus vaccine.

This taskforce is up and running and aims to ensure that a vaccine is made available to the public, as quickly as possible.

The taskforce, reporting to me and the Health Secretary, is led by Sir Patrick and Professor Jonathan van Tam.

It comprises representatives from government, industry, academia and regulators.

Members include Government Life Sciences Champion Sir John Bell, as well as AstraZeneca, and the Wellcome Trust.

The taskforce will support progress across all stages of vaccine development, at pace.

It will back Britain’s most promising research, positioning the UK as a leader in clinical vaccine testing and manufacturing.

The taskforce will co-ordinate with regulators to facilitate trials which are both rapid and well supervised.

And it will work with industry in the UK and internationally, so we are in a position to manufacture vaccines at scale.

This will build on the Prime Minister’s announcement last month of a further £210 million for the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), the international fund to find a vaccine.

I can confirm that the government has green lighted a further 21 research projects to help fight coronavirus.

In total, these projects will receive £14 million from a £25 million government research investment and include backing the development of a vaccine at Imperial College London.

This follows support for 6 projects, announced last month, including vaccine development led by Professor Sarah Gilbert at the University of Oxford’s Jenner Institute. This is already carrying out preclinical trials and, with government support, will shortly move into a clinical trial phase.

And we are looking forward. So when we do make a breakthrough, we are ready to manufacture it by the millions.

One tool in this fight will be the UK’s first Vaccines Manufacturing Innovation Centre based in Harwell.

A project that will help build our capacity to develop and mass produce vaccines here in the UK.

The government will be accelerating the building of this facility.

The Bioindustry Association is also working closely with our taskforce and bringing together a whole range of businesses keen to use their expertise to mass produce vaccines, as soon as one is ready.

I want to pay a heartfelt tribute to all the scientists and researchers, working tirelessly, on these projects.

Yet even with all their efforts, we should be under no illusions.

Producing a vaccine is a colossal undertaking.

A complex process which will take many months.

There are no guarantees.

But the government is backing our scientists, betting big to maximise the chances of success.

I am proud of how, again and again, Britain has stepped up and answered the call to action.

An enormous challenge being tackled through a vast national effort.

Where problem-solvers, from science, business and government join forces to beat this invisible killer.

We cannot put a date on when we will get a vaccine.

But we live in a country with a rich history of pioneering science.

And with the government backing our scientists we have the best chance to do this as quickly as possible.

PPE on it’s way to care homes across Scotland

Additional supplies of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) are to be delivered directly to care homes across Scotland to help meet the increased demand caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

NHS National Services Scotland will prioritise the delivery of stock directly to care homes where the virus is known to be present.

Stock will also continue to be provided to local hubs which supply PPE to other social care workers.

Each location will receive a week’s supply of equipment, including aprons, fluid resistant surgical masks and gloves.

The situation will be reviewed next week based on information supplied by care homes on their own supply of PPE stock.

The National Services Scotland Social Care triage service will continue to provide an emergency service in the case of unexpected short term demand.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “The dedication of those who work in the care sector is hugely appreciated and ensuring those staff are protected is a priority for me.

“They are doing a remarkable job in very difficult circumstances, and we will support them as they do that.

“We have dedicated teams working on the procurement and distribution of PPE to our health and social care workers.

“I believe that providing additional supplies straight to care homes will ensure all care homes in Scotland have enough PPE to allow them to continue to safely provide care and support to their residents. It should also allow time for care homes to work on sourcing their own stock.

“We are also working closely with COSLA to ensure the existing service provided by the local hubs is working as efficiently as possible.”

Scottish Care Chief Executive Donald Macaskill said: “Scottish Care warmly welcomes the announcement by the Cabinet Secretary that direct distribution of PPE to care services will be introduced.

“This will significantly support the protection of staff, residents and clients and the staff who care for and support them.

“I am grateful for the immediacy of response from Scottish Government and the recognition of the need to take these measures with urgency. All of us are working with determination in challenging circumstances to meet the threat of coronavirus.”

On Thursday, Social care providers and unions warned that a critical lack of protective equipment and testing has allowed coronavirus to “sweep through” social care.

In a joint statement – signed by the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, UNISON, Unite, GMB and TUC – ministers are told that care workers and residents are still being exposed to unnecessary risk.

The care providers and union leaders warn that staff are being forced to risk their lives with care services struggling to get the equipment they need:  

“Social care is facing a crisis without precedent. Problems with supplies of protective equipment and a lack of testing is causing much anxiety amongst employers, staff, and the families of the people they care for. Many care home residents and care workers have already died.

“People who rely on social care are often more vulnerable to catching and dying from Covid-19. Yet a month into this crisis, many care workers are still working without suitable PPE, despite their heightened risk of exposure to the virus and to spreading it.

“A critical lack of PPE and testing of social care staff and service users is putting them at unnecessary risk of exposure – and means we are almost certainly underestimating how far the virus has spread.

The care providers and union leaders say that without urgent action the virus will continue to devastate the sector:

“When patients with Covid-19 are rapidly discharged from hospitals to care homes to free up NHS beds, it risks spreading the virus to care homes and putting staff and residents in danger.

“We are pleased that the government has at last published its strategy for social care. But it needs to go further and action will be more important than words.

“Amidst growing evidence that Covid-19 is sweeping through social care with devastating results, we call on the Government to step up the fight against Covid-19 by:

Publishing a national procurement and distribution strategy for PPE that includes the social care sector, so that care homes and social care providers aren’t left to source their own PPE amidst global shortages and inflated prices.
Setting a clear deadline for when all care workers, clients, personal assistants and residents who need it will have access to testing.
Stopping the rapid discharging of Covid-19 patients to care homes unless there are key checks about safety
Fully involving the social care workforce and its unions and employers in responding to the crisis.

The care providers and union leaders say ministers must “learn the lessons” from the crisis and provide better funding for social care in the future:

“Carers, local government, providers, regulators and civil servants are working tirelessly to respond to the crisis. But social care has been the poorer cousin of the NHS for too long. This pandemic is showing just how essential this largely female workforce is.

“Social care workers look after us all. Our parents, our grandparents, our partners, siblings and adult disabled children. Their work has long been undervalued, with services underfunded, staff often on the minimum wage or zero hours contracts and 122,000 vacancies in the sector.

“When this dreadful pandemic eases the Government must learn vital lessons about the failings of a social care system based on low pay and insecure work and put in place proper funding and a long-term plan for social care as soon as possible.”

Surgical masks for police officers

Police officers and staff across Scotland will be given surgical face masks to wear as they respond to incidents or deal with the public where it is not possible to adhere to social distancing measures.

We have secured initial stocks of type 2 fluid resistant surgical masks and are distributing them to our workforce in response to advice from Health Protection Scotland, Public Health England and the UK Government.

Officers and staff will be able to choose to use the type 2 masks in certain low risk situations where they are unable to maintain a two-metre distance from their colleagues or members of the public.

Officers and staff who are in contact with someone who is suspected or confirmed to have coronavirus will still follow existing guidance which recommends the FFP3 mask.

A total of 4,000 officers and staff in divisions across Scotland have already been trained in the use of, and supplied with, FFP3 mask, which offers an enhanced level of protection through a face-fitted respirator.

More info ➡️ http://ow.ly/71MH50zfZq6

Charity urges Police Scotland to be sensitive to new guidance for autistic people

National Autistic Society Scotland has welcomed changes to the ‘Stay at Home’ rules from Scottish Government which allow for autistic people who need to leave home more than once a day to exercise or travel beyond their local area should they need to for health reasons.

However, a number of autistic people and families with autistic children have contacted the charity reporting that they have been told to go home by Police, or threatened with fines.

While we have heard some positive stories of the police responding appropriately, we have also heard from families reporting that Police seem either unaware of the change in guidance or are insensitive to it.

National Autistic Society Scotland has written to the Chief Constable of Police Scotland, Iain Livingstone, asking that police officers across Scotland are made aware of the changes to the ‘Stay at home’ guidance.

Amended Guidance issued from the Scottish Government makes it clear that, if you’re autistic or have a learning disability, you can leave your home more than once a day and travel beyond your local area if this is important to your health.

If you need carers with you, they don’t have to stay the two metres apart from you that is usually required by social distancing. However, it is still important to be careful and only go out when you really need to, to reduce the chance of getting ill or infecting other people.

Nick Ward, Director of the National Autistic Society Scotland said: “The lock down has fundamentally changed life and this can be very challenging for Scotland’s 58,000 autistic people, where for many, exercising in a safe way is very important to their physical and mental health and wellbeing.

“We welcome the amended rules from the Scottish Government but are extremely concerned not all police officers are aware of the changes or are interpreting them correctly. We have today written to Police Scotland and have urged Government to promote the new guidance appropriately so all are aware.”

Caroline, a mother with an autistic child, said: “The lock down has been really difficult for my son and the stress can lead to some very challenging behaviour when he gets frustrated and upset.

“It’s great the rules and changed for autistic people and driving to the nearby park – it’s unsafe for him to walk along the road – where he can feed the ducks and play safely is an absolute life line for us and I can see the difference it makes to his mental health – it calms him.

“I was really upset when recently the Police told us to turn around otherwise they would fine me. They said they needed to see a GP letter. I offered our social worker’s phone number but they refused.

“Our GP can’t provide a letter as understandably they are busy and to be honest it seems like a waste of medical professionals’ time during this pandemic.

“I know other parents who were planning on finally getting out as the rules had been changed but are now too scared so are still stuck at home, often with very distressed children. Even just the possibility of being stopped by Police and not managing to follow through with a plan will put off many families with autistic members.”

Edinburgh Airport COVID-19 testing centre opens to Key Workers

Key workers can now use the newly opened testing centre at Edinburgh Airport to confirm if they have the coronavirus.

A drive-through coronavirus testing facility has opened at Edinburgh Airport as part of the Government’s UK-wide drive to increase testing for thousands more NHS and other key workers.

The Edinburgh Airport site sits alongside a rapidly expanding network of testing sites being set up around the UK, and is operating on an appointment-only basis for NHS staff and other key workers. The facility will be piloted for its first few days of operation.

This follows the launch of the Government’s partnership with universities, research institutes and companies to begin rollout of the network of new ‘lighthouse’ labs and field testing sites across the UK, with 27 testing sites opened to date.

This network will provide thousands more PCR swab tests – which are used to identify if you currently have the virus – for critical key workers, starting with NHS front line staff. This means those who test negative for coronavirus can return to work as soon as possible, and those who test positive are able to recover.

The Edinburgh Airport testing centre is being operated in partnership with Sodexo, with Boots medical staff administering some tests and others being self-administered. Those tested will receive their results within 48 hours.

Health Minister Lord Bethell said: ““The UK Government is rapidly scaling up the national effort to boost testing capacity for coronavirus to protect the vulnerable, support our NHS, and ultimately save lives.

“This new service will help end the uncertainty of whether NHS and social care staff need to stay at home meaning those who test negative will be able to return to work.

“This is a national effort and we are proud to be working with a number of partners to turn this ambition into a reality and roll out additional capacity to where it is needed.”

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said: “This new testing centre at Edinburgh Airport, which is funded by the UK Government, will help key workers continue to do their lifesaving work and look after those who need it most.

“The UK Government has committed to expand our testing capacity right across the UK and this new centre is now one of three in Scotland. We will continue to work for everyone in the UK to save lives and protect our NHS.”

Professor John Newton, National Coordinator for the UK Coronavirus Testing Strategy, said: “New testing sites such as this one are a key pillar of our 5-pillar plan to scale up testing, and are critical in supporting NHS staff who are isolating at home to return safely to work if the test is negative.”

“This is a brilliant example of industries and businesses turning their resources to creating and rolling out mass testing at scale, which will help to deliver on our aim of carrying out 100,000 tests a day across the UK by the end of the month.”

A Boots UK Spokesperson said: “We feel incredibly proud to be supporting COVID-19 testing for critical workers in Edinburgh.

“Boots has been at the heart of UK healthcare for 171 years and has always come forward to support the community in times of need. Our team in Edinburgh is no exception. Some of our colleagues have already stepped forward to volunteer to run this COVID-19 testing station, which will start testing its first critical workers today.”

Sean Haley, regional chair of Sodexo UK & Ireland said: “Sodexo teams have moved quickly to set up COVID-19 testing centres as part of the industry-wide effort to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The opening of the Edinburgh Airport testing site will mean more frontline NHS and other staff can be tested and cleared to provide care to those who need it most. I am proud of our colleagues who are working together with pace and dedication to support the NHS.”

Gordon Dewar, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Airport said: “We understand that the coronavirus pandemic is a national issue that requires a national response, and we realise we have a role to play by offering up space that can be utilised for crucial testing.”

The Government is also urgently working on setting up a home-testing service for critical key workers, supported by Amazon’s logistics network and other commercial partners.

Briggs: Plan now for coronavirus rehabilitation

Lothian MSP Miles Briggs says health boards must start planning now for rehabilitation support for people who have had severe cases of Coronavirus.

Covid-19 is expected to lead to a dramatic increase in the numbers of people managing what will possibly be long-term lung conditions and needing support for rehab and recovery.

The number of people who have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease in NHS Lothian has increased by 70% since 2011/12, to 19,167 people, a higher increase than any other region in Scotland.

Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland are working with health boards, including NHS Lothian, to reform the way people with lung conditions access rehabilitation and support.

Vital support, such as Pulmonary Rehabilitation, could benefit thousands of people in Lothian, as well as allowing the health board to make significant savings in the long term.

The charity have a number of initiatives in place to support those living with chest, heart and stroke conditions during the Coronavirus epidemic, including their freephone advice line Nurses: 0808 801 0899

Miles Briggs, Scottish Conservative Health Spokesperon, said: “It is right that health boards are focusing their efforts on maximising the number of intensive care beds, increasing ventilator capacity and continuing to treat those who are most sick.

“A high number of people in Edinburgh and the Lothian’s, who have breathing difficulties and are in the high risk category during the Coronavirus outbreak, would benefit from this treatment.

“NHS Lothian must start putting plans in place now for breathing rehabilitation, so that patients who have had Coronavirus can access this treatment and start their recovery.”

Jane-Claire Judson, Chief Executive at Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, said: “The devastating impact of coronavirus will see many survivors living with poor lung health, perhaps for the rest of their lives. They could be left dealing with breathlessness which can cause worry and anxiety, but there are rehabilitation programmes which can help.

“Physical activity is hugely important to recovery and it is key to living well with chest conditions. At the moment our local support groups which normally provide group exercise can’t meet up.

“We’re making sure that people can still keep active at home by sending out short videos and information on activities everyone can do. We’re also busy working with health boards across Scotland to make sure our services alleviate some of the pressures on the NHS.

“No-one fully understands what long-term effects coronavirus will have on people’s health – but we do know that support for rehab and recovery is going to be more important than ever.

“Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland is urgently making plans and adapting our services to make sure we’re there for everyone who needs us, now and in the future.”

We CARE: Hancock launches care sector action plan

The UK government has published an action plan to support the adult social care sector in England throughout the coronavirus outbreak.

New action plan to reduce outbreaks in care homes, support care staff and providers and maintain independence of those receiving care
Plans to boost access to PPE, ramp up testing for care sector and recruit more staff
Unifying new ‘care’ brand for care workers with NHS-style identity, to ensure recognition and access to benefits during crisis and in response to ask from sector

Better access to testing, millions of additional PPE items, expansions to the workforce and a new brand to further recognise the sector’s contribution to society are at the heart of a new action plan to support the social care sector through the coronavirus outbreak.

The Government has committed to ensuring that all care workers who need a test receive one, and all symptomatic residents in a care home will be tested to prevent outbreaks. Over 4,000 social care workers have already been referred for testing so far.

Everyone going into a care home from hospital will be tested with immediate effect. Currently the first five residents with symptoms are tested to provide confirmation of whether there is an outbreak.

The way PPE is being delivered to care homes is being rapidly overhauled, with homes supported to order PPE quickly, including through direct dispatches via Royal Mail, a 24/7 hotline and a new pilot website.

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock said:  “We should all be proud of our incredible care sector who are fighting this battle against this virus on the frontline.

“Our care staff come to work day-after-day supporting our most vulnerable in these incredibly challenging times.

“Today we are introducing a new CARE brand that can be worn with pride, and it will signal to everyone that they belong to a strong, united and respected family.”

Over 1.5 million frontline care workers will now be able to unite under one banner to help create an NHS-style single identity to better celebrate and recognise the care sector.

This will be based on the existing CARE badge, which was launched as a unifying symbol of pride for the social care sector by Care England and the National Care Forum.

This will make it simpler for care-givers to access benefits such as priority shopping hours, in the same way as NHS staff and will recognise the integral role social care workers are playing in responding to this outbreak and supporting vulnerable people.

The action plan also outlines plans to expand the social care workforce by tens of thousands through a new recruitment campaign that will highlight the vital role of care staff, backed by a new online learning platform to rapidly upskill new staff.

Social care providers across England have already received an emergency drop of 7 million PPE items, so that every CQC registered care provider received at least 300 face masks to meet immediate needs.

In the coming weeks, a dedicated supply chain will be in place for social care, which will mean social care providers can make orders and have them dispatched directly to them – in line with the NHS and Local Resilience Forums.

Care providers unable to get PPE from their usual suppliers will be supported by a 24/7 hotline and a dedicated, in-house team at the National Supply Disruption Response (NSDR), who can rapidly pack and deliver PPE to providers.

The UK Government is also working with e-commerce experts to pilot a website which will allow care homes to order PPE online, using NHS Supply chains and shipped directly via Royal Mail.

Minister for Care Helen Whately said: ”The care workforce is playing an essential role in the fight against Covid-19, and they deserve the same recognition and support as NHS staff.  

“This virus has brought many challenges to the sector and today we are setting out how we will ensure care staff have all they need to do their jobs safely.

“We are keen to get as many people on the care frontline as possible which is why we’re launching a campaign to attract people to the sector to support the national effort. I urge former social workers, occupational therapists and nurses to return to the sector to join the fight to protect our most vulnerable.”

The plan also gives guidance to help minimise the spread of infection within all care settings. This includes advice on safe discharge from the NHS, including testing prior to discharge and when isolation is recommended.

This follows the announcement by the Health and Social Care Secretary yesterday that all care home residents and social care staff with COVID-19 symptoms will be tested as capacity increases.

Dedicated testing has already begun for frontline staff, including social care workers and in addition to over 20,000 tests for NHS workers and their families.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) are working in partnership with ADASS and local providers to lead the coordination of regional testing and have already offered testing to 11000 care facilities. All registered care providers will be contacted in the coming days so employers can identify staff eligible for testing in line with PHE guidance and refer them to their local testing centre.

Chief Executive of Care England Professor Martin Green OBE said: “The social care action plan gives us a framework on which we should build the future of social care, as well as showing the important role social care is playing to support people in this current health emergency.”

To attract 20,000 people into social care over the next three months to relieve pressures in the care workforce, in the next few weeks we will re-launch our national recruitment campaign to run across broadcast, digital, and social media.

The campaign will highlight the vital role that the social care workforce is playing right now, during this pandemic, along with the longer-term opportunity of working in care. A new online platform will be developed to streamline the recruitment process for candidates and employers.

Previously registered social workers in England, occupational therapists and nurses are being invited to return to the sector to support the frontline effort. Over 7,000 retired nurses have responded to a call to return to employment – some of whom will be deployed to care settings.

The government has invited former social workers who have left the profession in the last two years to return to employment – with the aim that 8,000 social workers could be supported to return to work if they wish to. Over a thousand individuals have already expressed an interest in returning to social care during the outbreak.

Last month, the government announced £2.9 billion of funding to strengthen care for the vulnerable as part of the government’s commitment to ensure NHS and social care system, and other public services, have all the resources they need during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Joint Chief Social Worker for Adults, Mark Harvey and Fran Leddra said: “The social care workforce supports our families, friends and neighbours in the millions every day.

“They provide care and support to sustain in some of the most important elements of our lives – relationships, companionship, inclusion, meaning and aspiration. They enable people to not only get the best care possible but to also continue to contribute to and be a part of society. Our social care staff are there to make moments such as end of life as respectful and caring as possible, as this becomes more of a reality.

“We have both worked in social care all our lives and everyday find ourselves in awe of the dedication and commitment that care workers, social workers, and occupational therapists amongst many others have always shown and now in responding to COVID-19 and the new challenges that it has brought.

“We are delighted that the new CARE brand will provide much-deserved recognition to the social care workforce, and continue to be grateful to those returning or joining the workforce at this time.”

The new social care action plan has been published on GOV.UK

Edinburgh Charity Delivers Emergency Care Packs to Vulnerable Families Shielding at Home

An Edinburgh children’s charity is delivering emergency care packs to families who have a vulnerable child and are currently shielding at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last week, Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC) – which supports the Royal Hospital for Sick Children – began providing free emergency packs of food and essential items to families visiting or being discharged from the hospital.

Now, the charity has expanded this service and is delivering the free care packs to the homes of clinically vulnerable families who are known to the RHSC and who are currently shielding for an extended period to protect themselves during the pandemic.

The packs contain food products and essential items including nappies, toilet roll, tinned soup, beans and tea bags to support families while they cannot leave the house to go shopping.

The charity is also in the process of developing toiletry packs and creative care packs with art supplies to help keep children entertained at home and reduce isolation.

ECHC is delivering the packs to families’ doorsteps, as well as to nursing bases where community nurses and health visitors are also helping to distribute them. The charity will keep in regular contact with the families throughout their isolation period to meet their needs if they require additional packs.

Louise Sharkey and partner Graeme have been shielding their 12-year-old son Charlie, who has a rare genetic disorder and epilepsy, and his four-year-old brother Jack at home for over three weeks.

Louise said: “During this difficult time, ECHC continues to be a well needed support that we are extremely grateful for and have relied on during many hospital admissions over the years. They are at the end of the phone should we need emotional support and are liaising closely with the palliative care team to provide support also.

“Recently a care pack was dropped off at our house by the charity containing essential supplies that can be difficult to source right now. We have been finding it hard to get deliveries from supermarkets, so we were running low on things like antibacterial hand soap, pasta, toilet rolls, baby wipes and some cereals.

“We are very lucky to have a good family support network who have been providing us with essentials should they be needed but it’s not always easy for them as they don’t live close by.

“The bag of essential supplies that came from ECHC was extremely useful as it contained extra toilet rolls and baby wipes that we use a lot with Charlie, and cereal. Jack was delighted that it contained some treats too! The charity is a lifeline for many families during hospital stays and at times like these in the community too.”

ECHC recently launched its COVID-19 Emergency Appeal to help families having to cope with the impact of the outbreak on top of the distress of having a sick or injured child.

Roslyn Neely, CEO of ECHC, said: “Right now, all families are facing the challenges of lockdown. Keeping children fed and happy, and organising shopping trips on top of everything else, becomes even more difficult if you have a sick or injured child in hospital, or if you are returning home from hospital to begin an extended period of shielding or isolation.

“The incredible NHS staff are working round the clock to make sure every child gets exceptional care throughout the crisis and we at ECHC are doing everything we can to help to reduce fear and isolation and to comfort and support families when they need it most.

“These emergency care packs have only been made possible thanks to the kindness of our supporters donating to our COVID-19 Emergency Appeal. We urgently need donations to continue to do this.

“Times are difficult for all of us, but if anyone would still like to give, donations could provide a family with a much-needed care pack, fund a special play session at a child’s bedside or pay for a mum and dad to stay in our parent accommodation and be close to their child at the toughest of times.”

To receive a care pack – Families known to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children who would like an emergency care pack are asked to contact Leigh at ECHC on 0131 668 4949 or leigh.drake@echcharity.org.

To support ECHC – A donation of £10 could fund an emergency care pack for one family, £15 could fund a special bedside play or creative session and £50 could pay for parents and carers to stay in ECHC’s parent accommodation for one week.

Donations can be made online at

https://echcharity.org/support-us/covid-19-appeal

UK Govt. to offer testing for “everyone who needs one” in social care

All care home residents and social care staff with coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms will be tested as capacity is built up, the UK government is announcing today.

All symptomatic care residents will be tested for COVID-19 as testing capacity continues to increase
All patients discharged from hospital to be tested before going into care homes as a matter of course
All social care staff who need a test will now have access to one with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to contact all 30,000 care providers in the coming days to offer tests

Currently the first 5 symptomatic residents in a care home setting are tested to provide confirmation of whether if there is an outbreak.

However, as lab capacity increases every day the government is expanding testing to include all care home residents who develop symptoms.

The safety of residents and staff is a priority and as such, testing will now also be provided to all potential care home residents before they are discharged from hospital.

This will provide reassurance and peace of mind to residents and family members, and will help care providers to take appropriate action to ensure that social care workers and other residents are safe – including implementing isolation procedures for those who test positive.

The measures confirmed today are expected to be outlined further in the government’s COVID-19 social care action plan tomorrow, and will help give residents, their families and those that they care for peace of mind.

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock said: “I am deeply conscious that people in residential care are among the most vulnerable to coronavirus.

“We are doing everything we can to keep workers, residents and their families safe, and I am determined to ensure that everyone who needs a coronavirus test should be able to have access to one.

“We have already begun testing social care workers and will roll this out nationwide over the coming days. And as we continue to ramp up our testing programme, we will test all current care home residents with coronavirus symptoms and all new care home residents who are discharged from hospital into care.

“Testing is key in our battle against coronavirus, and as part of our plan to prevent the spread and save lives we will ensure that everyone in social care who needs a test can have a test.”

As the rollout continues, the Health Secretary has confirmed that every social care worker who needs a test can now get one.

Dedicated testing has already begun for frontline staff, including social care workers and in addition to over 20,000 tests for NHS workers and their families.

As capacity grows further through the government’s new mega labs, it will prioritise the testing of symptomatic social care workers and anyone in their household who have COVID-19 symptoms.

CQC are leading co-ordination of testing for the care sector, and have already offered 6,000 care facilities the opportunity to test their staff. By the end of the week they will have contacted all 30,000 care providers.

Care providers will identify workers eligible for testing and refer them to their local testing centre.

Tests for social care staff and residents will support the government to achieve its ambition of 100,000 COVID-19 tests a day by end of April.