Coronavirus: Social Services

(asked on 17th March 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to address any potential shortages in care staff as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.


Answered by
Lord Bethell Portrait
Lord Bethell
This question was answered on 5th May 2020

On 25 March a new coronavirus Bill was given Royal Assent and is now an Act of Parliament. The Coronavirus Act 2020 aims to protect public health, increase National Health Service’s capacity, strengthen social care and support the public to take the right action at the right time.

On 27 March the Care Quality Commission published interim guidance on Disclosure and Barring Service and other recruitment checks, for providers recruiting staff and volunteers to health and social care services in response to COVID-19.

This guidance represents an interim change in expectations to support the health and social care system. It will only apply for the period the Coronavirus Act 2020 remains in force and will be kept under review during this time. These regulations are effective from 27 March 2020.

On 15 April the Action Plan for Adult Social Care was published. The Government’s number one priority for adult social care is for everyone who relies on care to get the care they need throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Millions of people rely on this care and support every day. As the pandemic progresses, these vital services must remain resilient and the challenges of COVID-19 go far beyond anything we have previously experienced. The Government’s approach in the action plan is made of four pillars:

- Controlling the spread of infection;

- Supporting the workforce;

- Supporting independence, supporting people at the end of their lives, and responding to individual needs; and

- Supporting local authorities and the providers of care.

This action plan sets out all settings and contexts in which people receive adult social care. This includes people’s own homes, residential care homes and nursing homes, and other community settings – it applies to people with direct payments and personal budgets, and those who fund their own care. It supports the response services for the people who rely on technology-enabled care and monitoring services. The action plan will support care providers, the care workforce, unpaid carers, local authorities and the NHS in their ongoing hard work to maintain services and continue to provide high quality and safe social care to people throughout the pandemic. While this action plan applies to England only (as adult social care is a devolved matter) the Government of course continues to collaborate across the United Kingdom, to share learning and ensure all nations can benefit from new initiatives where possible.

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