Information for Care & Repair agencies

Our work for vulnerable people in hospitals and communities will continue.

Practical services and frontline staff who are supporting vulnerable older people meet the Prime Minister's exceptions to the 'stay at home' rules. Because they are:
• providing care or helping a vulnerable person.
• travelling to and from work which cannot be done from home.

Care & Repair staff also fall into the definition of Key Workers in the health and social care sectors.

The definition of vulnerable is set out in the UK Government's new rules. It includes those who are:
• aged 70 or older (regardless of medical conditions)
• under 70 with an underlying health condition (i.e. anyone instructed to get a flu jab as an adult each year on medical grounds).

We have issued a Compliance Statement to be carried by staff who are travelling for business.

Care & Repair caseworkers are most likely to be working from home. They will deliver their information, advice and assessment services remotely - primarily, over the phone and, where possible, by email. This may include welfare benefit eligibility checks and claims, healthy home assessments, funding advice, information and advice on local community support services, and referral to practical services. 

More proactive, general support will be provided to those most vulnerable clients including those with sensory and cognitive loss, via the Managing Better caseworker team.

Care & Repair will continue to deliver critical prevention, urgent and/or emergency and hospital discharge works in older people's homes.

The following risk assessment procedures are in place:

For clients who are 'shielding' – i.e. those at highest risk and who have received letters from the NHS to stay at home for 12 weeks:

This includes people aged 70 and over, a large proportion of our clients, as well as people with defined underlying health conditions. Many will be living with people who are not in the shielding category. The Government guidance states that good hygiene and social distancing should be exercised within the household to minimise the risk of transmission.

When working in these clients' homes, handypersons/operatives should follow Government guidelines on correct hygiene (in relation to themselves, their tools and equipment), wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and observe strict social distancing.

For people who are self-isolating as they are showing symptoms.

Handypersons/operatives can go into these clients' homes in which urgent/emergency works are required. Broken gas boilers, water leaks, blocked drains/WCs could fall into this category.

Appropriate PPE should be used, including and not limited to: protective (washable/disposable) clothing, masks, gloves, sanitising gel/wipes for hands and tools.

Clients should remain in another room whilst the work is being completed

For the general population i.e. those staying at home/social distancing
Handypersons/operatives can go into clients' homes, with appropriate PPE and exercising correct hygiene and social distancing, in line with government guidelines.

External works
External work carries a lower risk of virus transmission, however handypersons/operatives should still wear appropriate PPE, exercise correct hygiene and social distancing in line with government guidelines

In his radio interview, UK Government Cabinet Minister, Michael Gove MP, made clear that a plumber called to fix an older person's broken boiler would be acting lawfully. It would be considered "essential work" and be protecting a vulnerable person. He stressed the social distancing behaviours required of both plumber and customer, including in relation to the new 'shielding' guidance for extremely vulnerable people. He further inferred that anyone doing work to help people stay safe and well at home was permissible. This would include all Care & Repair practical services to all clients, irrespective of their specific vulnerability.

Hospital discharge work
Welsh Government will be issuing guidance on new hospital discharge procedures which are likely to place even greater emphasis on hospital-to-home working.

For more information:

https://gov.wales/business-and-employers-coronavirus