Decision details

Following an announcement in March 2021 of further funding for adult social care to support infection prevention and control and rapid testing, £6.688m has been allocated to West Sussex to reduce the rate of COVID-19 through infection prevention practices and to increase and implement rapid testing.

Funding has been paid to the Council on the 8th April and must be spent by the 30th June. 

As with previous grants for infection control and lateral flow testing the Council is required to comply with a number of conditions set out in the grant circular distributed by the Government and through associated guidance.

Since it is likely that further funding may be allocated to support the adult social care market during 2021/22, it also recommended that a revised approach for managing any such announcements is put in place to ensure that funding can be transferred to providers with maximum speed, which is reflected in recommendations 2 and 3.

(1)        The Executive Director of Adults and Health is asked to approve that the £6.688m funding be distributed in line with the proposals set out in section 2 of this report and in line with Government guidance, subject to Government grant conditions and the providers’ acceptance of the terms and conditions of the Council’s grant agreement.

(2)        The Executive Director of Adults and Health is asked to distribute any future funding allocated for the adult social care market during 2021/22 in line with the government guidance and conditions and in line with local need at the time of funding allocation.

(3)        For any funding allocations made in accordance with recommendation 2 to be reported through the Quarterly Performance Monitor.



With reference to the publication of; ‘OKD75 20/21 Adult Social Care Infection Control and Testing Fund’, it is confirmed that this decision requires Urgent Action. The urgency of this matter is due to the Department of Health and Social Care instruction that Local Authorities pay care homes within 20 working days of receiving the grant funding. This was received on the 8^th April 2021. Providers also have limited period to spend the grant money (covers period from beginning of April to end June 2021).

The Chairman of the Health and Adults Social Care Scrutiny Committee has agreed with the rationale for the use of urgent action to enable the decision to be taken, without the usual call-in period, as provided under Standing Order 3.47.

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