"Homecare workers have not been able to access the same level of testing as their colleagues working in care homes, so this announcement should redress this balance. The further rollout of these tests to live-in carers and personal assistants also needs to happen as quickly as possible."
Responding to the Government announcement of an expansion of testing to include weekly tests of those working in home care, Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said:
“This is a much needed and positive expansion of testing to carers working in people’s homes, which councils and care providers have long been calling for.
“Homecare workers have not been able to access the same level of testing as their colleagues working in care homes, so this announcement should redress this balance. The further rollout of these tests to live-in carers and personal assistants also needs to happen as quickly as possible.
“We all need to do as much as we can to prevent the spread of coronavirus, particularly among our older and most vulnerable people, so this regular routine testing is a vital part of our defence.
“The Spending Review next week must also provide councils with the extra funding they need to help shore up social care ahead of winter and get through the second wave of COVID-19, while also using this as the basis for future reform of social care to place it on a long-term, sustainable footing.”