A care home has temporarily reopened to provide a safe space for people leaving hospital who are not yet ready to go home.

The Fairway, on the outskirts of South Oxhey, opened its doors again on Tuesday as part of Hertfordshire County Council's ongoing response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The council is opening two homes - The Fairway and Nevetts in Buntingford in the north of the county - with both homes providing more than 40 beds each.

Beds will be for patients who are ready to be discharged from hospital but are not quite ready to return home and look after themselves.

For some it may be that they are in recovery but still need some support before they can go home.

For others, the homes will provide a place to live if their current care arrangements at home have had to be stopped temporarily.

The care homes will be staffed by redeployed or returning Hertfordshire County Council employees, and new recruits, who also helped with the set-up of both homes.

The council says there will be 45 employees on each site.

To ensure resident safety, comfort, and hygiene, six specialist baths have been installed across both homes at the request of the county council.

Manufacturer Gainsborough Specialist Bathrooms says the Gentona bath delivers ergonomic safety for disabled bathers and carers so transfer risks are reduced in the bathroom.

Gainsborough says the Gentona is the only bath in the world to encompass BioCote antimicrobial technology which provides 99.9 per cent protection against an array of harmful microbes including influenza H1N1, E.coli, salmonella and antibiotic-resistant MRSA.

The company added recent laboratory tests have proven BioCote demonstrates antiviral efficacy against a member of the 'coronavirus family'.

Watford Observer:

A technician from Gainsborough Specialist Bathrooms finalises installation of a Gentona bath at The Fairway

Merchant Taylors' School in Moor Park has made visors for care home staff, while B&Q has donated flowers and plants for the garden.

Both homes have and continue to receive hundreds of books and videos in donations from the community.

Richard Roberts, cabinet member for adult care and health at the council, said: "We have had a great response from previous employees and redeployed staff to work within the homes. To get the homes ready for use in such a short space of time, at such an excellent standard is a credit to the team involved.

"The response from councillors and communities to support these projects has been overwhelming."