By £13m to tackle infection control in Hertfordshire care homes
Care homes in Hertfordshire, including Watford, are to receive £13m to tackle infection control in light of the coronavirus crisis.
This Government funding follows widespread criticism over the way that the spread of infection has been dealt with in care homes.
It comes after it was announced that nearly 10,000 people have died in such facilities as a result of Covid-19.
The latest figures show that in Hertfordshire there have been 206 Covid-19 deaths in care homes.
That’s more than one in four of every Covid-19 death in the county. And it doesn’t include the care home residents who died in a hospital setting.
The new funding, which is part of a £600m national package, will be distributed by the county council to individual care homes.
Each home is expected to receive the equivalent of £1,000 per bed.
Care homes will receive the funding in two instalments.
Councillor Richard Roberts said:
“I think this is a very positive input of cash into the care system – and specifically around cleanliness and helping care homes to help their residents to stay safe.”
He said the number of deaths in care homes in the county appeared to have “dropped right down” in the past week or so – after appearing to peak two or three weeks ago.
But he stressed that there was still a need to be vigilant across all care home providers.
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