Yesterday, 4 November, the Government announced new guidelines to encourage and support care homes, to provide safe visiting opportunities as new national restrictions come into effect.
Sarah Dines MP said, ‘I have been campaigning hard to make sure that families can visit their loved ones in care homes during this pandemic. I have been asking questions on this to Ministers in the House of Commons and making representations directly to Matt Hancock the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. For those in care homes, the ability to see loved ones is vital for their mental health and wellbeing and perhaps even more so during these difficult times.
I have had socially distanced meetings with constituents and received many emails from residents in similar situations, who are desperate to see their loved ones in care homes. I have received contact from residents who have been married for 50 years or more and have had restricted or zero visits to loved ones recently. This is truly heart-breaking. I have always appreciated that care homes need to keep residents safe, but with robust risk assessments, PPE and special arrangements in place, there should be no excuse for denying visits.
I am absolutely delighted that yesterday 4 November, the Government announced new guidelines to allow loved ones to visit those in care homes in a safe way. This move will help so many constituents. The guidance will enable care home providers, families and local professionals to work together to find the right balance between the benefits of visiting on wellbeing and quality of life, and the risk of transmission of COVID-19 to social care staff and vulnerable residents. I have asked for rapid testing to be introduced for visitors to care homes, which will further protect both care home residents and visitors.
The guidance will set out clear principles for how visits are conducted – with arrangements to be adapted from home to home, based on the needs of their residents and taking into consideration factors such as layout and facilities - and reiterates the importance of ensuring social distancing and proper PPE use is observed.
I have written to Derbyshire County Council to ask them to review their decision to suspend visits by loved ones in County owned care homes and to adopt the new Government guidelines. I sincerely hope that they take urgent action, but if you do have any continued problems in visiting, please do let me know by emailing me at [email protected].’
