Visiting care homes while COVID-19 restrictions are eased
In this article published by the CQC on 25 February 2021, you can find out more about what to expect when visiting your loved ones in care homes during the pandemic.
Do you have a friend or relative in a Royal Greenwich a care home?
We organise regular relative meetings for people who have loved ones in a care home. Please check our events page for the upcoming event. If you cannot see an upcoming event online, please contact us.
This is from the CQC website. See the original article here.
We recognise the complex and difficult situation facing social care. The national lockdown has brought additional challenge to our sector. The majority of providers are continuing to do extraordinary work despite the intense pressure of high numbers of people with COVID-19, workforce shortages, managing increased testing and the roll out of vaccinations.
However, we are aware that in some places blanket decisions are continuing to be made against government guidance. Where decisions are being made, whether that is for visiting, people not being allowed to see visiting professionals, testing or vaccinations, the focus must always be on the individual needs and rights of the person.
We understand providers are rightly cautious in order to keep those they care for safe, but they mustn’t wait for the completion of the vaccination program to facilitate visits.
With the announcement that each care home resident in England is to have one regular visitor (with tests required before entry and PPE to be worn on site), visiting guidance is likely to be updated shortly. All decisions need to stay under review as circumstances change.
Blanket bans are unacceptable and people should follow Government guidelines, give sufficient weight to local risks and advice from their Director of Public Health as well as giving consideration to the home environment.
The individual must be at the centre of the decision and all decisions need to stay under review as circumstances change.
See the article on the CQC website for more information, including:
- Why visiting relatives in care homes is important
- Safeguarding while visiting
- The impact of blanket bans on our human rights
- Working with your care provider to find a solution
Rights of individual must be paramount when deciding visiting plans
