Council given £6m to make care homes safer

Funding to help prevent the spread of Covid-19 infections New borough council restrictions also include helium balloons

CASH to prevent the spread of coronavirus in care homes has been awarded to the county council.

County Hall will receive more than £6 million – from a £60 million pot for infection control.

Uses might include training on infection control for staff, reducing transmission by supporting providers to reduce workforce movements and stepping up NHS clinical support to care homes.

A spokesman for Leicestershire County Council said: “We are aware of the government’s plan to introduce an adult social care Infection Control Fund and we look forward to receiving the guidance on the grant, so we can continue supporting our care home providers to tackle the spread of Covid-19.”

More than 11,000 care home residents across the UK have died since the start of the outbreak.

Last week, a home manager said she and colleagues moved in with residents to stop the spread of Covid-19 when they suspected a patient had the virus.

The fund forms part of a wider package of support the Government is making available to care homes, which includes ensuring all have they support they need with staffing and accessing PPE, and providing a named clinical contact from the NHS for every care home.

The named contact will assist with weekly check-ins to review patients while helping staff with the use of equipment and medication.

The government said it has also rolled out a new wellbeing

PARTYGOERS in the Hinckley area hoping to light up the skies with their celebrations face new restrictions.

Releasing sky lanterns and helium balloons has been banned by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, with the policy unanimously approved.

The proposal was put forward because of worries the airborne decorations could cause fires or endanger wildlife.

A motion presented at a full council meeting said: “This council proposes a ban on the use and release of sky lanterns and helium balloons meant for release on all council-owned public open space.

“We call upon our partners in parish councils, Leicestershire County Council and indeed the Government to follow our lead.

“We also propose that this council promote information to local people, leading to better understanding of the damage they do.”

Sky lanterns are made of paper, sticks and wire, with a fire light attached, and can travel a long distance from where they are released.

The motion continued: “While they look pretty for a few moments, many people are completely unaware of the dangers they pose to wildlife, livestock, package for social care staff, including two helplines, led by the Samaritans and Hospice UK, to support staff with their mental health and wellbeing.

Dr Luke Evans, the Conservative MP for Bosworth, said: “Care staff are some of the real heroes of this pandemic – working to support those in our community who need it the most.

“I do not underestimate how challenging a time this is for people living and working in care.

“This new funding will make a real difference to care homes in Hinckley and Bosworth.

“By putting in place stronger prevention, we can ensure we continue to drive coronavirus out of our care homes, making them safer and better able to look after people who need it the most.” pets and buildings.

“There are many different varieties of lantern, but even the biodegradable bamboo lanterns will take a decade to decompose and will continue to pose a threat to animals throughout that time.

“This is also true of helium balloons which are in general made of latex but can take months to degrade and pose a similar risk of entrapment.“

The proposal mentioned a fire at a German zoo that happened on January 1, 2020, thought to be caused by sky lanterns released on New Year’s Eve.

More than 30 animals were killed in the blaze, including five orangutans, two gorillas and several monkeys.

There was a huge fire at a recycling plant in Smethwick in 2013, which was also believed to have been sparked by a lantern, causing £6 million of damage.

Banning the sky lanterns is supported by organisations including The Countryside Alliance, Soil Association and the National Farmers’ Union.