To ask the Minister of Health what options have been explored to enable friends and relatives to more regularly and safely visit loved-ones resident in care homes.

Managing the impact of the transmission of Covid-19 into care homes by placing protective restrictions on access to residents has been a key strategy in keeping them safe.

The visiting guidance (here) is applied in line with the Regional Alert Level which is subject to ongoing review. This is essential for maintaining safety for all, including residents, families, health and social care staff and by extension the wider population, through social distancing and appropriate Infection Control Procedures being implemented across all healthcare settings.

The guidance emphasizes that care homes should recognise the right to a family life for those residing in care homes, and particularly the importance many people attach to seeing family and friends on a regular basis. However, given the ongoing high rate of transmission of the virus, we are currently at Alert Level 5. Consequently, in terms of visiting to Care Homes, the guidance recommends:

Indoor visiting in resident rooms for end of life visiting.

Where the home is not in an outbreak, visiting should be facilitated where there are well ventilated designated rooms/visiting pods.

Alternatives to face-to-face visiting for all others should be provided

Further, the guidance confirms that Care Partner contact, safely managed in line with the care home visiting policy, can continue at all Alert Levels. The full visiting guidance provides further recommendation and should still be referred to for clarity.

My officials continue to engage with a range of stakeholders, including representatives of residents and families, independent Care Home providers, Trust staff, including those providing support to care homes, and representatives of other statutory organisations involved with the independent care home sector, to listen to concerns regarding the implementation of these visiting arrangements and to help provide support.

While my officials keep the overarching guidance under review, in line with the best available scientific and medical evidence, no significant changes are currently anticipated.