Pa gymorth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei gynnig i gartrefi gofal yng Nghymru, er mwyn sicrhau eu bod yn parhau i gael eu staffio'n llawn a bod ganddynt offer diogelu personol addas ar hyn o bryd?
We are working with stakeholders across Wales to ensure that we protect our frontline social care staff, who play a vital role in caring and supporting the most vulnerable in our society.
I recently announced an extra £40m to help meet the extra demands placed on adult social care services and cover the increased costs associated with the coronavirus pandemic. We will continue to work with our partners to monitor this ongoing situation.
We have developed and implemented a robust system for NHS Wales Shared Services to provide PPE directly to local authorities for onward distribution to care providers. If a care provider is in need of PPE support they can contact their local authority which will authorise the release of available PPE kit for immediate use. To date more than 10m individual items of PPE have been distributed for use by social care providers – this includes aprons, gloves, facemasks and reusable goggles. Further deliveries are being coordinated by NHS Wales Shared Services. We are working to ensure that care providers are fully informed about the process to access stock and that they are using it appropriately in line with the latest guidance.
The latest UK PPE guidance for health and social care is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-infection-prevention-and-control
We are rapidly increasing our capacity to test social care staff, opening drive-in testing centres in Cardiff and Newport. Centres are also being set up in West and North Wales.
The Chief Medical Officer wrote to all health boards on April 22 informing them all care home residents would be tested if they have symptoms.
The Welsh Government continues to examine all the levers available to us to ensure that providers can continue to deliver this vital support, including additional powers granted through the four nations Coronavirus Act 2020 should these be necessary.
We have asked all health and social care professionals who are able to help at this time to make themselves available. This includes retired social workers, as well as others that have worked in the wider social care sector and advised them that to return all they need do is temporarily register, without a fee, by contacting Social Care Wales and expressing their interest in re-joining the workforce to help out in these unprecedented times.
We have supported Social Care Wales to launch the social care worker card to help identify social care workers and recognise their hard work and status as critical workers in Wales.