Care England welcomes the Government’s decision to help designated care sites with their insurance

Care England, the largest representative body of independent adult social care providers, has welcomed the Government’s decision to help designated care sites with their insurance.

Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, says:

“We are delighted that the Government has listened to Care England about the critical issue of insurance. We look forward to working with the Government to make the best of this important decision and will continue to campaign to have the difficulties associated with securing insurance cover extended to the rest of the care home sector who are crippled by sky high premiums and lack of COVID cover”.

Care England has long called for the Government to help with insurance including a letter to the Prime Minister at the tail end of last year. The lack of insurance has been a major stumbling block in the low take up of designated sites and so this move by the Government is very welcome.

The majority of care homes are in the independent sector and unlike their counterparts in the NHS they do not have automatic indemnity.

Nadhim Zahawi MP, Vaccine Deployment Minister, delivered a statement to the House of Commons announcing the temporary indemnity scheme yesterday https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2021-01-18/hcws718 We are expecting further guidance in due course.

Martin Green continues:

“Adult social care and the NHS are two sides of the same coin and we welcome any move that puts us on the same footing thus making partnership much easier. We look forward to continuing to work with the Government on those broader issues relating to insurance in the adult social care sector. Including, the development of a policy which addresses them”.