We would first like to offer reassurance to our residents and their families that we are acting quickly and following all advice from Government and the Care Quality Commission in relation to coronavirus. That means we’re putting all appropriate measures in place to protect the safety and welfare of our customers.
The Department of Health and Social Care recently published guidance on visiting arrangements for care homes. This does not change the garden visits that are currently happening.
The new guidance sets out the parameters for re-introducing some visitors internally to homes. It is not a one size fits all approach, and we must take into account the needs and vulnerabilities of our residents as well as the purpose/benefit of the visit.
We are currently working through the guidance and will update once we have a clearer picture of how this will be implemented.
We of course understand that this is an unsettling time as we know how important it is for residents to have contact with their loved ones. As residents' emotional wellbeing is equally as important as their physical health, our staff are helping people maintain vital contact by keeping in touch by phone or digitally.