A HEREFORDSHIRE hotel has reopened to provide additional care and rehabilitation capacity for former NHS patients and members of the community, as part of the county’s response to the Covid-19 emergency.

Herefordshire Council has leased the Three Counties Hotel at Belmont Road, Hereford, as a temporary accommodation to support the NHS and social care sector.

Agincare UK Ltd are providing the care and support service on the site, which can offer accommodation for up to 46 people during the Covid-19 outbreak, and provide a short term care and a rehabilitation service to help people to live independently when they return home.

Protective measures have been put in place, including the use of PPE, to ensure the safety of the residents and the staff.

Councillor Pauline Crockett, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Wellbeing said: “Herefordshire Council has made a significant investment towards providing this additional social care facility for the county. We would like to thank the management at The Three Counties Hotel for offering their premises and by working with us they have enabled the council to make up to 46 beds available for the more vulnerable members of the local community. This initiative will assist residents with their recovery and rehabilitation before they return home and will also help to relieve the pressure on the NHS and the social care sector.”

Luke Holmes, Agincare Operations Director, added: “Agincare is delighted to be able to support Herefordshire Council and the county’s residents during this difficult time. Our staff on site have all received bespoke training for their roles and with the help of the council we have plenty of PPE readily available for them to use. This is an example of excellent partnership working between the council, a local hotel and Agincare as a local care provider. The hotel is an ideal environment for residents as it has comfortable, spacious facilities whilst being at a distance from the wider population, so everyone can remain safe within the government’s social distancing guidelines.”

Michelle Standell, Manager of The Three Counties Hotel, said: “We are pleased to be able to offer our services. Not only is it supporting the NHS and social care sector, it has also resulted in many of our staff being able to come off furlough which, of course, is a very positive outcome for any business in the hospitality sector at the moment.”