Covid-19 – Updated visiting arrangements for care homes 23 July 2021

Covid-19 – Updated visiting arrangements for care homes

23 July 2021

The wellbeing and safety of our residents and staff remains our most important priority. We have continued to monitor changes in guidance from Government and Local Authorities in each of the areas that we operate including the recent revisions to guidance relating to care home visits.

We do not receive advance notice of changes to Government guidance and therefore it is important that we carefully consider the impact of any changes to each of our care homes. At the current time, this assessment is also complicated by rising levels of COVID transmission outside of our care homes within the surrounding local communities.

Following careful consideration of the updated guidance, we have been working hard to implement changes to our policies and procedures to support additional visits for our residents and families.

Amongst the main changes made to Government guidance are the following:

• No limit on the number of named visitors that each resident can have;
• Maximum of two visitors per resident at any one time;
• Visitors no longer need to be from the same household;
• Visitors must continue to wear masks;
• Physical contact should be kept to a minimum;
• Visitors should continue to schedule appointments for visiting; and
• Visits may take place in the resident’s bedroom, the designated visiting area or outdoors.

Accordingly, we have increased the number of daily visits available to support the change in guidance, but these visits must continue to be booked in advance using our online booking portal where possible, which enables each of our care homes to manage visiting more effectively. Booking visits using the portal also allows our care homes to schedule additional cleaning. If necessary, visits may alternatively be secured by telephone with the Home Manager. Our preference remains for two visitors to visit at the same time thereby using one visiting slot. We have also increased the length of visits from 30 minutes to one hour.

On arrival at the care home, each visitor will be required to follow the guidance set out in our updated visiting policy and summarised below:

• Complete a risk assessment and have their temperature taken. Additionally, all visitors must agree to comply with our Responsible Visitor Code;
• Undertake a Lateral Flow Test on the day of, and prior to their resident visit. The result of this test must be registered on the gov.uk website. We can provide you with instructions on how to do this if required;
• Evidence of each visitor’s Lateral Flow Test results must be presented to the staff member on arrival. This must be in the form of a text message or email from NHS dated for the same day as the booked visit;
• Visits will be allowed to take place only where a negative test result is recorded;
• Positive and Inconclusive test results will result in the visit being cancelled and rescheduled;
• Any visitor that is unable to complete a Lateral Flow Test prior to their visit, may request in advance for this to be undertaken at the care home. Lateral Flow Tests take approximately 30 minutes to produce a result. Visitors must wait in the designated area assigned by the Home Manager or their vehicle whilst the test result is determined. Visitors will need to swab their throat and nose, then our staff will complete the remainder of the test and register the test result;

• Visitors must not visit if they are currently self-isolating (either due to track and trace or the app), have tested positive or experienced symptoms of Covid-19 in the past 14 days or where they have had contact with someone else meeting these criteria;
• Hand washing/sanitising – It is important that visitors wash their hands thoroughly on arrival and when leaving using the alcohol sanitiser gel which will be made available;
• Masks must continue to be worn at all times during visits. We will provide masks to visitors on their arrival. In addition, a staff member will escort visitors to the relevant visiting area and back again;
• If any visitor wishes to also wear gloves and an apron, please inform a member of staff on arrival and these will also be provided to you.

It is very important that visitors continue to respect the visiting policies in place at each care home. If visitors breach this policy then it will result in their loved one having to undertake precautionary isolation and visits will be suspended. We must continue to maintain strict infection control procedures to reduce the risks associated with Covid-19 and mitigate the risks of transmission and future outbreaks in any of our care homes. In so doing, this will help us maintain the wellbeing of our residents, staff and visitors.

The Home Manager may postpone or pause visits at any time without notice, for the safety of all, or as instructed by Government or Public Health. Situations where this might be required include where a positive COVID test is reported within a home. This may result in visits being cancelled at short notice, but we will do our best to give as much notice as possible. 

We know how much our residents enjoy seeing their loved ones, and you seeing them, and we would like to thank you again for your continuing patience and understanding.

If you have any questions, please speak to the Home Manager in the first instance or email [email protected]

Karen Harkin

Chief Operating Officer