Visiting In and Out of Care Homes

Care England, the largest representative body for independent providers of adult social care, has appealed for guidance for care home visiting to go beyond Christmas.

Professor Martin Green, Chief Executive of Care England, says:

“The issue about visiting in and out of care homes goes far beyond Christmas, we want to craft robust guidance that deals with the short, medium and long term. The guidance needs to recognise the intricate balance between well being and safeguarding. Although the new testing regime is extremely welcome we need to face facts that it will be a while until it is entrenched and also needs to operate as part of a raft of other infection control measures”.

The Department of Health and Social Care is expected to publish its latest guidance on visiting both in and out of care homes today.

Martin Green continues:
“We hope that the guidance has drawn on Care England’s own visiting principles thus reflecting the difficult situation that many care homes are in. Visits both in and outside care homes are part of normal life and we want to be able to support residents, relatives, staff and providers to ensure their safety and wellbeing”.