Peterborough gets £800,000 boost to help NHS cope with winter pressures

In total, the city will receive £793,661 as part of the measures announced by Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock earlier this month.

The money will be used to pay for home care packages to help patients get out of hospital quicker, reablement packages, which support workers to help patients carry out everyday tasks and regain mobility and confidence and home adaptations, including new facilities for personal care, such as adapting a shower room if a patient has limited movement.

Mr Hancock said: “I want to help the NHS through this winter.

“I have already provided funding for hospitals to make upgrades to their buildings to deal with pressures this winter, and I am making an extra £240 million available to councils to pay for social care packages this winter to support our NHS.

“We will use this money to help people who don’t need to be in hospital, but do need care, to get back home, into their communities, so we can then free up those vital hospital beds, and help more people get the hospital care they need.”

Aside from funding, NHS leaders have also announced an ambition for 100 per cent of frontline workers to get the flu jab to protect patients as part of a comprehensive plan for this winter.

For the first time, children in school year 5 will be offered the flu vaccine, meaning as a result, all children aged between 2 and 9 will be offered the flu vaccine.