Issue - meetings

That the approach of the Council in supporting the local Care Home sector be endorsed.

The Senior Manager (Integrated Services, Lead Adults) presented a report on the approach taken by Social Services to provide essential support to the local care home sector.

Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, the national pressures on funding and recruitment in the care sector had been experienced in Flintshire.  During the pandemic, the Council had further strengthened partnerships with providers through an unprecedented level of support to its 27 care homes to support some of the most vulnerable residents.  The robust arrangements put in place during the pandemic included the allocation of a Contract Monitoring Officer to liaise with each care home and the ‘share point’ system to share information with key stakeholders.  Regular multi-agency teleconference meetings with care providers to raise issues and share changing national guidance had been well received and would continue.

On the approach to testing, all care home employees and residents had been tested from May to June whether symptomatic or not.  Since that time, employees in all care home settings, including extra care, were tested every week; the frequency would be reduced if the ‘R’ rate improved.  The procedure in the event of a positive test in a care home required the entire establishment to be tested and entered into a period of isolation.  Whilst 16 care homes in Flintshire were in a ‘red’ (positive cases) position at the peak of the pandemic, this number had now reduced to three.  During peak of the pandemic, teams within Social Services had been deployed to provide additional support in care homes and weekend ‘on call’ arrangements had been extended to include senior officers.

The Senior Manager agreed to share presentation slides on PPE provision following the meeting.  Deliveries were distributed twice a week to the 27 care home establishments by the group of volunteers trained in Social Services standards.  The effectiveness of this approach through the North East Wales Community Equipment Service (NEWCES) had been recognised as best practice in a national report and shared with services across Wales.

Financial support from Welsh Government (WG) was used to support a 10% payment to care homes from mid-March to the end of June, to cover additional costs arising from the pandemic such as strengthening cleaning regimes, employee cover etc.

The Chair welcomed the continuation of weekly remote meetings and the timely return of test results.  In response to a question on WG funding for care home employees, the Senior Manager advised a Task & Finish Group was reviewing recently issued guidance on its allocation.

Councillor White praised the Council’s stance on the early closure of care homes in the County which helped to reduce the spread of infection.

During the discussion, Members expressed their appreciation to the teams within the Council and care homes for their efforts to keep residents safe.  Councillor Gladys Healey asked that her thanks be passed to the Senior Managers for Safeguarding & Commissioning and Children & Workforce for helping residents in her ward.

As suggested by Councillor Cunningham, it was agreed that a letter from the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 63