Q1) Prioritising relatives of care home residents in mass testing programme

Madame Mayor, considering recent developments over the last few days I would like to ask a slightly revised question.

I very much welcome the news that Oldham will begin a so called COVID-19 mass testing programme from next Monday 21 December.

This is a significant development in our fight against this appalling disease. 

I hope that this programme will be placed in the hands of our armed forces as they have done such a sterling job in Merseyside, rather than incompetent private sector companies.

My question relates to the priority that will be given to certain groups of individuals.

Front line health, care and key workers leading the fight to save lives, alleviate suffering and deliver core services should be an absolute priority group in a mass testing programme, both for moral and practical reasons, but I would like to make a plea for a third category of our residents not be overlooked. 

In this pandemic, one of the greatest tragedies has been seeing the forced separation of the residents of our care homes from their loved ones.  For the residents of the care homes in our borough who have waited many months to finally meet up with family a visit cannot come soon enough.

According to a recent survey carried out by Age UK, seven out of ten people with a close relative in a care home have not seen them since the start of the pandemic in March.

So, can Cabinet Member confirm the long-awaited news that the relatives of the residents of care homes are also given priority so they can arrange to visit, hopefully over the Xmas and New Year period if they wish?

If she can confirm this is the case, I want to place my thanks on record for ALL who made this happen – well done!