Issue - meetings

Recommendations:

Executive Members are asked to recommend to the Chief Executive Officer that using his emergency delegated powers, he:

i.    Approve the allocation and issue of grants as detailed in this report, and 

ii.   Delegate any decisions associated with this approval to the Corporate Director Health and Adult Services, in consultation with the Corporate Director - Strategic Resources

Considered:

A report of the Corporate Director – Health and Adult Services confirming the proposed approach for the distribution of grants to Care Providers, utilising money from Government and the NHS (the two ICSs covering North Yorkshire) with the aim of supporting recruitment and retention to the care provider workforce during the Winter period December 2021 to March 2022.

County Councillor Michael Harrison introduced the report confirming some of the difficulties being experienced by the Care Sector in regard to the recruiting and retaining of front line care workers, particularly at entry level, which was having a knock on effect on the NHS both in terms of the continuing health care services it funded, and in the availability of care to enable safe and timely hospital discharge.

He suggested that anything that could be done to make the Sector more attractive to potential employees and to recognise the contribution made by care staff to the country throughout the pandemic was the right thing to do.  He noted the proposal was to bring forward some funding to go directly in to the pockets of care providers and care workers.

Richard Webb, Corporate Director for Health and Adult Services confirmed this was a way of acknowledging and thanking the 16,000+ care workers across the county both in the County Council and the 500 independent and voluntary sector providers of care.  He noted the funding  came from a number of sources and would equate to a take home rate of £300 per person, to be paid in two instalments by the end of March 2022.  There would also be some targeted funding for care providers for the provision of workforce initiatives, infection control and training etc, and payments would be made to people who work in regulated services.

County Councillor Carl Les drew attention to an email he had received from a Care Worker asking when the County Council was going to act to give additional support to Care Workers, and confirmed the report being considered was doing just that.

County Councillor Gareth Dadd noted that historically, governments of all political parties had not recognised the importance of care workers and their contribution to society.  He therefore welcomed the proposals in the report.

Executive Members all voted in favour of the recommendations in the report, and it was

Resolved:  That it be recommended to the Chief Executive Officer that using his emergency delegated powers, he:

i.    Approve the allocation and issue of grants as detailed in this report, and 

ii.     Delegate any decisions associated with this approval to the Corporate Director Health and Adult Services, in consultation with the Corporate Director - Strategic Resources