The National Care Forum (NCF) is the leading association for not for profit care and support organisations. Responding to today’s announcement of the lifting of social care restrictions Vic Rayner OBE, CEO said:
“We welcome the government’s decision to ease social care restrictions in England from Monday 31st January. Care services have worked very hard to make visiting possible and the move to remove limitations on visiting in care homes brings them more into line with the easing of Covid restrictions of the wider population and the communities they serve.
“Whilst this policy change is really positive for people in care homes and their friends and families, care services will of course need to continue with all the COVID related testing and PPE requirements for visitors. As we know, care providers are continuing to face very significant workforce pressures, with high levels of vacancies as well as staff shortages as a result of COVID related absences, so this may impact providers’ ability to implement these changes at speed.
We have heard the headlines, we now need to see the detail of how providers will be supported to put this policy into practice. We look forward to seeing the guidance as soon as possible so that care providers, residents and their families all understand what this policy actually means.
We also look forward to hearing from the government about the ongoing support and funding it will make available to the sector to help tackle the ongoing workforce pressures which may limit providers’ immediate ability to implement this policy on Monday.”
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Note to Editors:
- The National Care Forum brings together 160 of the UK’s leading social care organisations, representing large numbers of care providers, offering thousands of services across the country, which are not for profit and always at the heart of community provision. Collectively, these organisations deliver more than £2.2 billion of social care and support to more than 217,000 people in 8,300 settings. The NCF membership body collectively employs more than 117,000 staff and 14,000 volunteers.
- More information is available on the National Care Forum at www.nationalcareforum.org.uk. @NCFCareForum @vicrayner @NCF_Liz
- For enquiries, please contact Edna Petzen petzen@nationalcareforum.org.uk
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