Abacare welcomes extra funding

An award-winning local care agency says it welcomes the announcement from the Welsh government of an extra £40 million to support adult social care services during the coronavirus pandemic.

The funding will be allocated through the new Covid-19 ‘hardship fund’ and authorities will work with adult social care providers to disperse the funds to cover basic PPE (personal protective equipment), food, staffing costs and ICT.

Neil Griffiths (picture), Regional Manager at Abacare, which provides care across Welshpool, said: “Adult social care services, including companies like ours, which provide care to elderly and vulnerable individuals in their own homes, are at the frontline and, while we’re coping well, we’re under a huge strain.

“Services like ours are alleviating additional pressures on the NHS and its resources, which we know are being tested to the limit at the moment. Our role is to maintain people’s health in the comfort of their own homes and to keep them safe.

“The additional PPE needed and the extra staff we are hiring all comes at a cost, so we welcome the recent announcement from Minister for Health and Social Services, Vaughan Gething of an extra £40 million to support us and other adult social care services, and those we look after. It’s also great to hear that, after reviews, there may be the potential to make further funds available in future too.”

Due to the current pandemic, Abacare needs to boost its team numbers immediately, so it can continue to protect its service users and the NHS.

It is calling on anyone who is currently fit and healthy but unable to work, following business closures and restrictions, to sign up for a care role and to help in their own communities.

Abacare can offer full training and paid work immediately to anyone willing to become a professional home carer in Wales.

Neil added: “We’re urging anyone who needs work and feels they can help us to get in touch immediately. If you’ve previously had a customer-facing role, then you’ll have transferrable skills and we can give you full, professional training too. You will be doing invaluable work supporting those most in need, while, also, protecting the NHS. We have had hairdressers, dry liners and even chefs who are no longer able to work, transfer their skills to us.

“Anyone interested should call 01686 625644. Our office teams will be able to have a chat with you and they will be able to set up interviews via Skype or Facetime to talk you through everything. They can also find out more information about job vacancies at www.indeed.com/cmp/Abacare.”