Coronavirus (COVID-19): reducing risk in adult social care

The Department of Health and Social Care have released guidance on how adult social care employers should assess and reduce risk to their workforce during the coronavirus pandemic.

Keeping people who work in social care settings, and those who use social care services, safe and well is critical. An adult social care employer has a duty of care to secure the health, safety and welfare of their workers and the people who use their service, as far as possible.

The guidance is for anyone who employs people who work in adult social care. It provides a framework for how you should assess and support members of your workforce who may be at an increased risk from coronavirus. It covers:

• the risk assessment process
• having conversations with workers who are identified as being at increased risk
• measures you could put in place, both across the workforce and for individuals
• useful guidance and resources

You can read the full guidance here.

The guidance should be used alongside PHE guidance on infection prevention and control and DHSC guidance on health and wellbeing of the adult social care workforce.