Two Macclesfield councillors have paid tribute to the dedication and life-saving work of Cheshire East public health and social care teams during the coronavirus pandemic.

Coun Laura Jeuda, cabinet member for adult social care and health, and Coun Mick Warren, cabinet member for communities, have joined fellow cabinet members Coun Jill Rhodes, portfolio holder responsible for public health, and Coun Kathryn Flavell, cabinet member for children and families, to give an update on how staff have responded to the outbreak.

Coun Jeuda said: "As well as vital work maintaining safe and supportive social care for people in residential care settings and their own homes, council staff have also been working to support vulnerable people identified under the 'shielding' programme and identifying those who would benefit from food parcels.

"This has included contacting individuals with special dietary needs and arranging for these needs to be met.

"This has involved close working with local supermarkets to ensure that the essential food supplies can be made available.

"Such supply issues have often needed to be resolved at very short notice."

Coun Warren said: "I want to pay tribute to all those involved in the People Helping People initiative, which was set up in a matter of days and is now supporting more than 3,000 people with an army of selfless and dedicated volunteers. Well done all."

Coun Rhodes expressed cabinet members' 'admiration' for the hard work and dedication shown by Cheshire East's staff, particularly public health, communities and social care teams, for both adults and cared for children.

"It has been a massive effort and we are all proud of the work our officers are doing and the way they have responded.

"Commissioning teams, adult social care and public health staff are working with our clinical commissioning groups and colleagues in NHS trusts to roll out Covid-19 testing and tracing, while supporting nursing homes and care homes, for adults and children, around infection prevention and control," she said.

Coun Flavell added: "The support and health advice council staff are giving our communities and partners - including schools, cared for children and social care providers - is absolutely vital and has saved lives.

"I am full of nothing but admiration and gratitude for the selflessness and dedication of all those involved."

Coun Rhodes also highlighted the council's health teams' close collaborative work with other council departments, such as adult services, cared for children and procurement, to secure supplies of personal protection equipment (PPE) and the challenge of providing advice on what PPE should be worn as Government guidance shifts and changes.

To date Cheshire East Council has:

• Received more than 280,000 items of PPE from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
• Purchased more than six million items of PPE
• Distributed nearly 1.5 million items of PPE to key workers

Coun Jeuda said: "This has been a massive undertaking and significant challenge and our staff have really pulled out all the stops to tackle this."

Coun Rhodes also praised the council's public health team for working to ensure as many health programmes as possible - such as drug and alcohol treatment and smoking cessation - are continuing during the coronavirus crisis.

"We are also, in parallel to work combatting Covid-19, taking part in emergency planning exercises to ensure we could deal with any potential major incident occurring at the same time as the pandemic.

"I am proud that council staff are working innovatively, collaboratively and with real dedication to continue to deliver for residents to protect lives and people's health and wellbeing," she added.