The Vale of Glamorgan Council has been working in partnership with other social care providers to ensure some of our community's most vulnerable residents receive the very best care during the coronavirus crisis.

As the Country continues to battle COVID-19, the Vale's care sector has banded even closer together to look after some of those most at risk.

Regular lines of communication have been established, including a weekly conference call between the Council and private care providers, where a range of issues relating to domiciliary care and care homes can be discussed.

Such conversations have helped interpret new guidance regarding coronavirus, acquire Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and access COVID-19 tests.

Mike Kemp, Director of College Fields Nursing Home in Barry, said: "Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in the UK, providers have been bombarded with new, then reviewed, guidance on just about every aspect of regulation and process.

"We have had to deal with every regulator and authority with whom we come into contact. I am delighted to say that we have received outstanding support from the Vale of Glamorgan Council. I cannot praise the Council's Social Services team highly enough.

"Whether it has been trying to obtain PPE or organising testing for our staff to enable them to return to work speedily they have been there for us. "

The Council has also been assisted by local businesses, with manufacturing firm Cabot providing PPE to staff and Hensol Castle Gin Distillery supplying antibacterial hand wash.

Such efforts have helped the Council deliver vital resources to frontline workers.

In total, nearly 20,000 goggles have been distributed, around 85,000 face masks, more than 80,000 pairs of gloves, approximately 100,000 aprons and 4,000 individual bottles of hand sanitiser.

Cllr Ben Gray, Vale of Glamorgan Council Cabinet Member for Social Care and Health, said: "As a care community, it's important to remember we are all in this together. We are grappling with the same difficulties as private providers during this extremely testing period and the best way to overcome such challenges is to face them together.

"I've been humbled to see how the social care family has united in response to the coronavirus outbreak. This spirit of solidarity is a shining example of how to react to such a situation."