Since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust (TSDFT) and Torbay Council have been calling care homes and providers a number of times each week to ensure they have everything they need during the COVID-19 pandemic.
These calls check they have enough staff and Personal Protection Equipment to provide the right care safely to some of those who are most vulnerable at this time.
Councillor Jackie Stockman, Cabinet Lead for Adults and Public Health, said: “Care Homes and our Domiciliary Care Providers are at the front line in looking after the health and wellbeing of our most vulnerable. Rightly so they are worried about their residents and clients as well as for themselves at this very uncertain time. Feedback from the homes and providers is that they found this support helpful and are accessing help from Torbay & South Devon Foundation Trust.
“We are doing, and will continue to do, what we can to support them and ensure they have what they need to deliver good and safe care. There are still significant challenges though. We will continue to ensure that staff have what they need so they can continue delivering care.”
Liz Davenport, Chief Executive of Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are very grateful to all our colleagues providing services in care homes and other residential settings. It is their professionalism, commitment and compassion, that is supporting and protecting our most vulnerable residents. We are aware of how challenging this is during COVID-19, and are extending a range of our staff wellbeing services to care home staff, as well as to our NHS employees to provide them with additional support.”
Any provider experiencing unplanned additional expenditure can apply for financial assistance. Assistance has and can be provided to cover costs incurred due to COVID-19 pressures, in particular staffing costs.
TSDFT and the Public Health Protection team are working with care homes to ensure staff and residents are tested and that effective infection control measures are in place when infection is suspected. A mobile testing unit was also set up in Torquay at the weekend to provide a local facility for key worker testing.
This support will continue throughout this pandemic and the Trust, Council and the local Clinical Commissioning Group are looking at ensuring local testing is available for staff along with stepping up capacity to support hospital discharge.
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