Care worker shortages force government to lift Covid ban on staff working in more than one care home

The government has changed its guidance for care homes in England and lifted the restrictions on care staff working in more than one home, if there are ‘capacity concerns and to ensure continuity of care’.

Care workers often need to work in multiple settings due to zero hour contracts and to top up their income. Some larger providers also move staff around multiple care homes.

In March this year, the government decided to limit all routine movement between different care settings to reduce the spread of infection and only allow movement of staff in very limited exceptional circumstances.

It has now updated its guidance detailing the circumstances ‘in which some movement of staff may be cautiously permitted’.

The guidance states ‘this enables providers and local authorities to plan proactively for specific service requirements or capacity concerns and to ensure continuity of care’.

From now on care homes do not need to limit the movement of staff who are not providing direct nursing or personal care.

Examples include administrative staff, cooks, cleaners, or managerial staff, and registered managers (where they are not also providing direct care).

However routine movement of staff giving personal care and nursing care is still banned.

But from now, if care homes have periods of unplanned staff absence and there are concerns over capacity, movement of staff is allowed.

Specialist trainers and educators ‘who ensure the continued quality, knowledge and skills within staff teams is maintained and staff with additional, specialist training to meet a person’s needs that could not be delivered by other staff’ will also be able to move around across multiple care homes.

Restrictions can also be lifted if there is a specific risk to a resident’s wellbeing, such as if a resident needs to be cared for by staff they recognise or have an established bond with.

All staff who move between different care homes must be fully vaccinated with at least two doses. This would be the case anyway as it became a legal requirement for any member staff working in a care home from 11 November.

They must also take a lateral flow test at the beginning of a working day with a negative result.

It is recommended that any staff moving between care homes and other health/care settings should also have had a Covid-19 booster vaccination and a recent flu vaccination unless they are exempt.

To read the guidance click here.