Sufficient PPE in stock for Powys County Council staff, chiefs say

Head of adult services commissioning, Dylan Owen, assured councillors at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday that the authority had “sufficient stock,” as he explained how the authority had been helping care homes in the county during the pandemic.

Mr Owen also explained that some workers were now “embedded” with voluntary organisations and private firms, to help ensure residents receive the care they need.

He explained that on March 16, social services had gone into emergency mode to concentrate on five key areas – safeguarding, supporting care homes, supporting home carers, people with substance issues and transferring people home from hospital.

These are the “critical services” that had to be kept going during the crisis, he said.

More Covid-19 coverage:

• See the latest coronavirus stories from Shropshire and beyond

• Coronavirus: Latest number of deaths and confirmed cases in Shropshire, Telford and Mid Wales

• Star Neighbours - how you can give and get help locally

Mr Owen, continued: “We have been working very hard to support all of our care providers, in order to ensure that they are ready, able and well equipped to provide the services that we commissioned from them.”

He added that the council had block booked beds to “maximise capacity” in care homes as they authority prepared for a “potential surge” in coronavirus cases.

Mr Owen continued: “We have been providing PPE and we have sufficient stock of that across the county.

“In order to support these services we have redeployed hundreds of members of staff.

“We have a number of our council staff working inside the voluntary and private sector to ensure that these homes are sustainable and are safe.”

Dedication

Adult social services, portfolio holder Councillor Myfanwy Alexander thanked staff for their “amazing care and dedication” during the emergency.

Councillor Alexander, said: “This has been an extremely challenging and a tragic time for many individuals and families here in Powys.

“I can give the strongest assurance that through the hard work and dedication of our teams and partner organisations we have been able to deliver some key objectives.”

Councillor Alexander explained that relieving pressure on the district general hospitals that serve Powys, but are outside the county, had been a “key objective.”

The council was able to do this by bringing people back home or to a local Powys community hospital.

Councillor Alexander continued: “Our largest focus has been to support our care homes where we are providing additional support where the infection is present.”

“I’d like to thank the staff for their amazing work and dedication.”

Portfolio holder for children’s services, Councillor Rachel Powell, said: “PPE has been critical in allowing social workers and support staff to meet with young people and families face to face.”

Councillor Powell added that staff for the virus had had a “positive impact” by keeping work absences low and said that morale in the service was “very good.”

Also in the midst of the pandemic, three new social workers had been recruited, said Councillor Powell.

Shaw Healthcare operate 12 council care home across the county and also jointly run an integrated care facility with Powys Teaching Health Board at Glan Irfon in Builth Wells.