Care home and home care staff following latest guidance on coronavirus
We are reassuring our clients and their families that our care staff in care home and home care settings are following the latest Government and Public Health England (PHE) coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance. This includes ensuring our care home workers are fully vaccinated (unless exempt) as part of a new law that came into force from 11 November 2021.
We employ more than 3,000 frontline care staff across England. They provide care in people’s homes (through home care and live-in care) and in more than 20 care and nursing homes.
High standards of hygiene from our care staff
Our CEO Raina Summerson:
We always take our caring responsibilities extremely seriously. We are keeping fully up-to-date with official advice, making sure that all our staff understand and follow the very latest COVID-19 guidance for social or community care and residential settings.
In the guidance PHE recommends that the best way to reduce any risk of infection is good hand and respiratory hygiene and avoiding direct or close contact (within 2 metres) with any potentially infected person. Our care and support staff always maintain high standards of hygiene and follow robust infection control guidelines, but given that we care for some of the most vulnerable people in our communities, during this outbreak we expect them to be extra vigilant about handwashing, coughs and sneezes, and keeping clients’ homes and our care homes clean. The wellbeing of our clients and staff is our highest priority.
Policies and procedures in place
We are monitoring all our services and receiving regular updates from managers and staff on their well-being and that of the people they support. For any who have been advised to self isolate we are supporting them to live safely and comfortably, and arranging essential shopping/deliveries to them. I would like to reassure people that we have robust policies and procedures in place, including business continuity and contingency planning with our public sector health and social care partners and the government Covid-19 Action Plan for Adult Social Care is kept under review.
The Department of Health and Social Care is maintains support in the distribution of supplies including face masks and other essential personal protective equipment (PPE) to all care providers. Agincare remains equipped to continue to care for those who have, or are suspected of having coronavirus-type symptoms, and care and support staff will ensure all PPE is worn and disposed of in line with current guidance.
Training for Agincare care staff
Agincare care staff are given comprehensive social care training from our training partner Training Now that includes correct usage of PPE.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance for care homes and home care
Read about PPE requirements in care home and home care settings.
General coronavirus hygiene principles
The general hygiene principles everyone should be following include:
- Washing your hands often – with soap and water (or using alcohol sanitiser that contains at least 60% alcohol if hand-washing facilities are not available) – this is particularly important after taking public transport
- Covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throwing the tissue in a bin
- Employees washing their hands:
- before leaving home
- on arrival at work
- after using the toilet
- after breaks and sporting activities
- before food preparation
- before eating any food, including snacks
- before leaving work
- on arrival at home
- before and after any care activity with clients (care staff)
- Avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
- Cleaning and disinfecting frequently-touched objects and surfaces
