Sourcing adequate PPE remains a high priority for our social care service. Council colleagues have worked extremely hard to ensure that the necessary supplies flow in to our city and can be used as needed. We currently have enough PPE and no one should or will be asked to work without the equipment they need to protect themselves and those they care for. But the Government has not made good on its promises to make available a reliable, ongoing supply of PPE for carers to protect them as they step up in this national emergency. We have written to the Health Secretary Matt Hancock and urgently raised our concerns with him. At a local level, we are diverting significant resource to sourcing PPE to ensure we keep our care workers safe, and I am very disappointed that this hasn?t been better led by Government to safeguard not just our city but all care workers across the country.

In Nottingham we are grateful to the hundreds of people who are stepping up to social care to look after their fellow citizens and they can be confident that we will maintain the safest possible working conditions and protocols.

We have another chance to show our gratitude to all those who are working on the front line of the Coronavirus outbreak, as the weekly Clap for Carers has come round again. I would encourage you to join your community at 8pm this evening to show your support and thanks.

Thousands of people across Nottingham will be sending out a huge round of applause to show their appreciation for those working on the frontline of this pandemic. Key workers are from a diverse range of sectors including NHS and social care, Emergency Services, supermarket workers, teachers and the council?s own frontline staff who are working throughout all of this, collecting waste, delivering community meals and food parcels and caring for the elderly and vulnerable.

Clap from your front door, window or balcony, but please remember to follow social distancing measures by keeping two metres apart from others not in your household.