THE sick pay enhancement scheme for social care workers in Wales that has been in place during the Covid-19 pandemic will end next week.

The Welsh Government has announced that the Covid-19 Statutory Sick Pay Enhancement scheme will end on August 31. It has provided £8.2 million of financial support to the social care workforce between November 2020 and June this year.

The scheme allowed social care workers to receive full pay while they were required to stay at home, self-isolating after contracting the virus, which the Welsh Government said has been an ‘important support to the social care workforce and to infection prevention for some of our most vulnerable citizens through the heights of the pandemic.’

In a joint statement, Eluned Morgan and Julie Morgan – minister for health and social services and deputy minister for social services respectively – said: “As we begin our transition from a period of pandemic emergency response to recovery, it is appropriate we bring this temporary scheme to an end.

“Consequential funding from the UK Government for the covid response has ceased.

“We will continue to look at how best we can promote greater occupational sick pay in the independent social care sector.”

In the statement, the ministers refer to recent ONS data from a coronavirus infection survey which suggests the prevalence of covid-19 in the community is decreasing.

“We are reviewing the asymptomatic testing of social care staff, and we will make an announcement shortly,” said the ministers.

Currently, frontline social care staff and care home residents are being prioritised for the autumn booster of the covid vaccine. This will be rolled out from the beginning of September and will provide more protection for the staff and the most vulnerable citizens.