Councillor Allen Brett said the borough’s residential and nursing homes were doing an incredible job in difficult circumstances. He hailed frontline staff for ensuring elderly and vulnerable people were receiving the best possible care and support.
Staff from the council and Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Clinical Commissioning Group are in constant contact with care homes, ensuring they have access to vital food supplies, personal protective equipment and medicines for their residents.
Testing facilities for frontline care staff are now available at Hopwood Hall College and Manchester Airport and local care homes have been informed of the details.
Councillor Brett said: “These are obviously very difficult and testing times but the response of our care homes and their superb staff has been nothing short of amazing. They are ensuring vulnerable residents are being given the best possible care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I can’t thank them enough.”
He added: “We have received some excellent feedback from care homes about the information we are providing, which is great. They are doing an incredible job in tough times and, as council leader, I am very proud of them.”
Steve Rumbelow, the council’s chief executive, said: “One of the key issues for care homes is ensuring they have the necessary supplies of personal protective equipment in place and, through our proactive work, we are ensuring this happens. Our feedback from local care homes has been positive but if any home needs any further help or support, we have a dedicated hotline number in place for them to contact us. I would like to thank care homes and their staff for all their work to support our vulnerable residents.”
Francesca Hawley, the manager of Rosemary Care Home at Milnrow, said: “I have been really impressed by the amount of information, advice and support I have received from the council. The council’s quality assurance team has been in touch with me every day and this support is helping us deliver the highest possible standard of care for our residents.”
