Updated visiting guidelines for our residential care homes – 15.12.21
Following a detailed review of the Government’s most recent guidance, we have updated our visiting policy for our care homes.
These changes bring in some tighter restrictions to the current visiting policy to increase the safety of our residents and staff.
Here is a brief summary of the latest changes to our visiting guidelines:
Each resident may choose 3 x nominated visitors and 1 x essential care giver. This does not include children under school age.
Fully vaccinated residents going out on visits must perform an LFD test on alternate days for 10 days upon their return.
Unvaccinated residents (who are not exempt) going out on visits must self-isolate in their own rooms for 14 days upon their return.
We have also increased staff testing from 2 to 3 LFD tests per week and 1 x PCR test.
Booking visits in care homes
For all types of visiting, booking remains essential. This is to ensure we continue to comply with safe entrance screening and NHS Test and Trace requirements. It also helps us to safely manage numbers of visitors at any one time, maintain safe distances between visitors, staff and other residents, facilitate testing requirements and preserve the privacy and dignity of other residents.
Visitor testing
We hope you will understand the need for us to see proof of a negative Lateral Flow Device status, as this helps us manage the risks of coronavirus while facilitating visits more safely.
The care home can provide packs of seven Lateral Flow Device tests kits for self-testing at home before a visit, or you can get these from community pharmacies, asymptomatic testing sites and via the Government website. Test results will need to be registered on the Government website and evidence of this will be required before each visit.
Please be aware
In the event of an outbreak in a care home, and in line with Government and local Public Health Team guidance, we may need to temporarily halt visiting, only allowing essential care givers and essential visitors into the home.
We will support continued communication between residents and their loved ones through video and telephone calls, and in some circumstances, window visits.
For further details
If you have any further questions or queries about visiting family or friends in or out of one of the care homes, or you would like to receive an updated copy of the visiting policy, please contact the home manager.
We send our thanks and gratitude to the friends and families of residents for their continued support and co-operation, as we anticipate and work through further changes to Government guidance that will enable us to open homes further for our residents and their loved ones.
