Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support care workers who may have to isolate to prevent or control infection of covid-19.

The Government has published updated infection prevention and control guidance for the adult social care sector and continues to provide free personal protective equipment and testing and access to COVID-19 vaccinations. Social care staff who test positive are asked to stay away from work for 10 days, with the ability to return earlier with negative lateral flow device tests, using the free testing provided.

The majority of care workers are employed by private sector providers which determine their pay and terms and conditions of employment. We expect all care providers to support good health and safety practice, with staff staying away from the workplace where there would be a health risk to those in their care, aligning with pre-pandemic expectations.