Winter Pressures - Designated Schemes

COVID-19 presents an unprecedented challenge for social care. There is an extraordinary amount of work underway up and down the country, with local authorities and care providers at the forefront of this vital response, working in partnership with the NHS.

The Adult Social Care Winter Plan was published on 18th September, setting out our plan for the next phase of the COVID-19 response and to achieve this, working alongside Local Authorities, social care providers and the NHS. In order to protect the vulnerable from Covid-19, the plan includes a commitment to deliver a designation scheme with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) of premises for people leaving hospital who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are transferring to a care home.

This procurement seeks to form an extension of, and enhancement to, the current health and social care system through entering into a block purchasing agreement that will offer additional and fixed capacity for eligible adults within a registered care home setting. This applies to care homes who provide accommodation for people who need personal or nursing care. This includes registered residential care and nursing homes for older people, people with dementia, and people with learning disabilities, mental health and/or other disabilities and older people.