Policy Updates 18th January 2023

North Somerset Council - Change to NSC Public Health Covid response

Throughout the COVID-19 response, North Somerset Council’s Public Health Team have been supporting UKHSA’s Health Protection Team to respond to COVID outbreaks in local settings. This has included monitoring test data and proactively calling care providers that are linked to a positive test result.

In line with the national “Living with COVID” strategy, withdrawal of additional public health funding for COVID and recent updates to the COVID IPC guidance for adult social care, from next Monday 16th January, the public health team will no longer be routinely calling adult social care providers in North Somerset when they have a positive COVID test result on the system. We will continue to receive notifications of positive COVID tests and updates about local outbreaks from UKHSA and may still call if any local follow up is requested.

Over time, and with the vaccination programme, the risk from COVID has reduced but of course it has not gone away completely. It remains important that you stay up to date with the latest COVID IPC and testing guidance and report any suspected respiratory outbreaks to the South West Health Protection Team (please see the attached summary and poster).

The North Somerset team will still be available to provide support if you have a COVID case and would like any advice to help follow the guidance. You can get in touch via email at health.protection@n-somerset.gov.uk. For specialist IPC advice you can also contact the BNSSG Integrated Care Board IPC Cell at bnssg.covid.ipc@nhs.net.