13 Financial Support to Care Providers during the Pandemic PDF 79 KB
Minutes:
The Board was presented with an update from the
Strategic Director – People, on the current financial support available to care
providers to support additional cost pressures related to COVID-19.
It was agreed that COVID-19 had been one of the
greatest challenges for care providers nationally; in relation to ensuring the
health and wellbeing of their residents and service users, and the additional
financial impact of the virus. It was
noted that the levels of expenditure in this area were significant and
essential to reduce the impact of the virus on vulnerable individuals, who
relied on the providers to keep them safe and well.
As Members were aware, it was important to note that the care market was fragile prior to the impact of COVID-19 with ongoing challenges in relation to sustainability and quality of care.
The report discussed the emergency funding made
available to local government and how this had been utilised
locally to ensure financial support was available to all contracted care providers
within Halton.
Members were presented with a number of options
for consideration in relation to the provision of ongoing financial support to
the sector during the Pandemic, as outlined in paragraph 3.10 of the
report. It was recommended that the
Board agrees to Option 2 – for the Local
Authority to fund only additional PPE costs, once the infection control grant
funding ceased – for the reasons explained in the report.
RESOLVED:
That the Executive Board
1) notes the contents of the report;
and
2) agrees that Option 2 be carried in
relation to the provision of ongoing financial support to the sector during the
period of the Pandemic.