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The Health and Social Care Committee’s Reports on social care and the delivery of core...

Conclusion
The Health and Social Care Committee’s Reports on social care and the delivery of core NHS and care services during the pandemic also highlighted the impact of a lack of testing for social care staff in the initial wave of the pandemic. Evidence from across the sector, including from staff themselves, was unanimous that the lack of provision of regular testing for social care staff had meant that social care staff were more likely to transmit the disease within care homes.269 263 Q825 264 Q825 265 Oral evidence taken before the Health and Social Care Committee on 21 July 2020, HC (2019–21) 36, Q620 266 British Infection Association (CLL0079)) 267 Public Health England, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, The contribution of nosocomial infections to the first wave, 28 January 2021. 268 See paragraphs 263–267. 269 Health and Social Care Committee, Third Report of Session 2019–21, Social care: funding and workforce, HC 206, paras 44, 45; Health and Social Care Committee, Second Report of Session 2019–21, Delivering core NHS and care services during the pandemic and beyond, HC 320, Paras 91, 92 Coronavirus: lessons learned to date 65 100,000 tests a day target introduced by Secretary of State
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government Acknowledged
The government recognises and has responded to the impact of the pandemic on the social care sector. The Prime Minister’s announcement of the ‘Build Back Better’ plan for health and social care in September 20213 set out a clear programme of reform as well as proposals for a sustainable funding model and to bring the social care and health sectors closer together which will strengthen the provision of adult social care services. The plan also made a commitment to close working with the devolved governments, laying the foundations for a programme of joint working for the UK to build back better from the pandemic.
Addressee Bodies
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Timeline
Recommendation age 4.6 yrs
Report published 12 Oct 2021