Care homes across the country will benefit from additional rapid
testing to test staff twice a week to help protect residents and
workers from the virus.
Staff will be asked to take rapid tests twice a week, in addition
to the weekly PCR test they have already been receiving as part
of urgent government action to protect those most at risk. A plan
that has been accelerated in light of the new, more
transmissible, strain of Covid-19. In the event of a positive
test in a Tier 4 care home, all staff will additionally be tested
daily for seven days.
This will be supported by an additional £149 million to fund
costs associated with testing staff, and to more safely support
family visits in areas outside of Tier 4.
The money will pay for care home providers to set up safe testing
areas, provide staff training and contribute towards staff time
spent on administering and receiving the tests. This is in
addition to the more than £1.1 billion Infection Control Fund and
is supported by over 16 million rapid tests and 46 million items
of PPE delivered for free to care homes over the last month.
Health and Social Care Secretary, said:
“We have worked throughout the pandemic to protect staff, and
residents in care homes and today we are boosting rapid testing
in care homes, with a further 149 million pounds to support that
effort.
“All those who work in care homes across England will receive two
rapid tests a week, in addition to their weekly PCR test.”
Visits to care homes can still take place in Tier 4 with
arrangements such as substantial screens or visiting pods but,
for the safety of loved ones, close-contact indoor visits
supported by testing cannot take place in tier 4 areas.
Outside of tier 4 areas friends and family are able to visit
relatives in care homes that are not currently experiencing an
outbreak if they receive a negative result prior to the visit,
wear PPE and follow all other infection prevention and control
measures.
This approach seeks to achieve the right balance between the
increased risk of infection transmission and the clear benefits
to the mental and physical health of residents and their families
which visiting enables.
Residents will continue to receive monthly PCR tests, alongside
extra testing as directed by their local Health Protection Team
if there is an outbreak.
Minister for Care, said:
“Our priority is to keep care home residents and staff safe, and
we have been working hard to make the most of our testing
capacity to help people reunite with loved ones as safely as
possible.
“Now in the face of this new strain, which spreads much more
quickly, we are increasing testing in all care homes to help
protect those most at risk. This £149million grant will give care
homes the tools and support they need to test staff regularly and
safely reunite families kept apart because of COVID-19.”
Stopping staff movement in and between care settings is critical
to minimise the risk of infection of COVID-19 and other viral
illnesses. However if care homes need to use staff who work in
multiple locations in order to maintain safe staffing levels,
rapid tests will help to manage the increased risk related to
employing staff who are working in multiple settings.
The new strain transmits more easily than the previous variant
but there is no evidence that it is more likely to cause severe
disease or mortality.
Testing is only part of the approach and it’s essential visitors
and staff wear PPE and follow all infection control methods to
keep their loved ones, other residents and staff safe. Up to one
in three people who have coronavirus have no symptoms and could
be spreading it without realising it.
Care homes which are facing an outbreak will not be able to
receive visitors, apart from in exceptional circumstances such as
end of life.
Care homes will manage the number of visits to ensure they can
enable safe visiting and the programme will be continuously
reviewed.
The money will be made available early next year and will be
distributed via local authorities. Allocations will also be
announced early next year.
The grant will cover the infrastructure costs of the expanded
testing programme including setting up testing areas and resource
costs including gaining consent for tests, supervising the use of
PPE and swab tests and then processing and logging the results.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
