Decision details

Public health COVID-19 grant allocation – Rough sleepers

Reference: D52527

Decision Maker: Director of Public Health

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: No

Decision:

Leeds City Council recently received £10.4m, from the Government, to support the public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding is a one-off contribution, for the 2020-21 financial year, and is non-recurrent. The funding is to support proactive and preventative evidence based measures, in the fight against the pandemic, which are informed by the Leeds outbreak plan. As part of this allocation, a budget has been identified for measures that support rough sleepers, it is necessary that this activity is implemented immediately as part of the Public Health response to COVID-19:-

In partnership with members of the Street Support Improvement Board, including Public Health, Safer Leeds and Housing Options, a meeting was held to discuss how best to allocate these funds. A wide range of options were put forward around accommodation, staffing, and essential urgent and emergency provision (e.g. food) for this cohort. It was decided that Bevan Healthcare, who are commissioned, by Leeds CCG, to provide primary care services to those who are homeless/ rough sleeping, would receive £110,000 of this funding, to support the work it does with rough sleepers, in Leeds. This work, which is being done alongside, and in collaboration with, commissioned and non-commissioned services, has been critical to the city’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and efforts to prevent the spread of the virus. Leeds CCG are supportive of this urgent funding allocation, as outlined below.
The allocation will specifically fund:
• One dedicated street health ‘Bevan bus’ for Leeds - £60,000
• One Covid-specific outreach worker/ navigator - £20,000
• A successful isolation and personalisation budget - £30,000

Wards Affected: (All Wards);

Contact: Lynne Hellewell, Public Health Business Manager 0113 3786042 Email: lynne.hellewell@leeds.gov.uk.

Publication date: 02/12/2020

Accompanying Documents: