Mike Padgham, who runs four homes in North Yorkshire and is chairman of
the Independent Care Group, said he was worried about the rising costs
of the pandemic, from personal protective equipment (PPE) to extra staff
to cover for those self-isolating as well as lost income from empty
beds.The government is spending £600m to tackle the infection in care homes but Mr Padgham said it had become tied up in bureaucracy, and will not get to care homes until June.
“The
NHS and social care have been on the front line together from day one,
but social care has only just been recognised… Even
though people have said things [in Parliament] and at the number 10
briefing about us having an arm put around us, a ring put around us, we
don’t feel protected.”