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Caregiving workers will receive free supplies of masks, aprons and gloves this winter as the government tries to prevent a repeat of the Covid-19 catastrophe in nursing homes.
Stricter rules are also expected requiring the closure of visitor residences in areas with a high incidence of the virus, with a likely exemption for residents at the end of life.
The PPE pledge will cost hundreds of millions of pounds and comes after shortages of key personal protective equipment were blamed as the infection spread through nursing homes in March and April. Concerns remain over their deployment, with inspectors reporting this week that staff either did not wear PPE or wore it incorrectly in August.
Nursing homes had been pushing hard for support, complaining that their PPE costs had skyrocketed more than tenfold, while their income and occupation plummeted, putting some in financial trouble. It is understood that the PPE will be available through a central government portal. Chancellor Rishi Sunak has already earmarked £ 15 billion for protective equipment and about half of that money remains unspent, according to the National Audit Office.
Residences will also be asked to stop all but essential movements of personnel between properties to prevent the spread of the virus, and the winter infection control plan includes a £ 546 million fund to allow the residences hire additional permanent staff and pay workers’ wages when they are self-insulating and to ensure exclusive access to agency staff. This is to prevent agency and “bank” workers who cover shifts in different households from spreading the virus, as they were shown to have done earlier this year.
An adult social care nurse chief will also be appointed to represent nurses in the sector and provide clinical leadership. This follows criticism that advice on how to handle the virus was biased and sometimes contradictory – for example, changing advice on whether to accept people discharged from the hospital without a test.
The measures, announced by Health Secretary Matt Hancock, highlight the government’s concerns about the continued vulnerability of nursing home residents and staff as infection rates rise. Almost 18,000 residents have already died from confirmed or suspected Covid-19 at UK facilities.
Hundreds of nursing homes in local lockdown areas, including in the North East and North West of England, the West Midlands and parts of Wales, have already closed their doors to visitors at the instruction or request of local health agencies.
But the government stopped short of imposing new restrictions on visits at the national level. Families have been asking for visitation to be enabled, even allowing selected family members to get tested together with care staff so they can stay in touch. The charity, Age UK, has warned of the “dire consequences for nursing home residents, especially those with dementia, of being separated from loved ones for long periods of time.” Its director, Caroline Abrahams, said that some people had been “dying of sadness as a result.”
“We are entering a critical phase in our fight against coronavirus, with winter on the horizon,” Hancock said. “Our priority for the next six months is to make sure we protect the most vulnerable in care and our incredibly hardworking workforce by limiting the spread of the virus and preventing a second spike. This winter plan gives providers the certainty they need when it comes to PPE and provides additional support to help nursing homes limit staff movement, stop the spread of the coronavirus and save lives. We will be monitoring the implementation of this carefully and will be swift in our actions to protect residents and colleagues across the country. “
The department said it was prepared to strengthen monitoring and regulation by local authorities and the Quality of Care Commission, and would demand “strong actions where improvements are required or the movement of personnel is not restricted.”
