Primary care and community health services nationwide are under increasing pressure to provide an enhanced level of care to patients in care homes and this has been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis. Care home residents are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 as a consequence of their complex medical problems and advanced frailty.

Barnet has almost 50 per cent of the care home bed capacity in NCL and while significant progress has been made since the introduction of the locally commissioned service (LCS) and the One Care Home Team service, it is recognised that further, additional support needs to remain in place.