Decision details

The purpose of the report is to gain approval to recruit single point of access (SPOA) case workers to support tier 1b contact tracing in response to COVID-19. Contact tracing is as a means of reducing and controlling SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) transmission as part of an integrated approach to testing and tracing.
Oldham currently has a rate of 56.5 per 100,000 population which is the highest rate across Greater Manchester and is significantly higher than the England rate and every effort is needed to reduce this rate. Effective contact tracing is an essential and integral part of Oldham’s strategic plan to test, trace, contain and enable (TTCE) which plays a vital part in protecting our most vulnerable residents and ensuring the avoidance of a localised lock down which would have profound implications Oldham’s ability to recover from the socio-economic impacts already experienced.
A general delegated decision report gained approval on the 11th August agreeing to planned spend of the Test and Trace Service Support Grant allowing for the development of a tailored outbreak control which included the £150k allocation for Single Point of Contact (SPOC) case handlers. The purpose of the posts is to provide effective Contact Tracing across the Borough to help reduce the spread of Coronavirus.
Oldham’s SPOC is currently manned 9am-5pm Monday to Friday by members of the public health team on a rota basis. This has meant diverting team capacity away from other essential COVID-19 response activity. To ensure capacity to respond to the confirmed cases that national team have defined as complex, such as schools, primary care settings, approved residential settings, large or high-risk workplaces, health and social care services and with under-served populations, it is necessary to recruit 3 whole time equivalent case workers at a grade 3 in the first instance. The staffing model will be reviewed to ensure that if demand exceeds capacity then additional caseworkers will be recruited, up to the agreed spend of £150k agreed within the delegated decision report. These case workers will be at grade 3 banding.
The case workers will be required to record notifications in the case management log, triage and refer notifications accordingly and support enquiries with national guidance.
The process for recruitment has commenced with REC 1 forms being completed and recruitment will take place as soon as is feasibly possible. The roles will be recruited to until the 31st March 2021 with the option to extend should it be required.

RESOLVED - That:
Approve gained to recruit 3 whole time equivalent case workers to support the tier 1b contact tracing with agreement to recruit to additional roles should demand exceed capacity.

Option 1: Approve the recruitment of 3 whole time equivalent case workers to support the tier 1b contact tracing with agreement to recruit to additional roles should demand exceed capacity.
Option 2: Not approve the recruitment of caseworkers for contact tracing. There is a risk that necessary response to COVID-19 will not be achieved.

Option 2 rejected: Not approve the recruitment of caseworkers for contact tracing. There is a risk that necessary response to COVID-19 will not be achieved.

Discussedd and approved at the joint strategic coordination group.