From 12 April, care homes in England will allow up to two visitors per resident and those with higher care needs can also choose to nominate an essential care giver. The DHSC has also made clear its intention to allow more visiting, and more visitors, by the summer as lockdown eases.
Are you adequately set up to manage risks as visitor numbers increase? Have you got robust processes and policies in place to support your approach to dynamic risk assessments, rapid lateral flow testing and PPE for visitors?
For almost a year, the care sector persevered through one of the most stringent lockdowns. But with the introduction of one named visitor per resident on 8 March, progressing to two named visitors on 12 April, and the overall aim to return to a “normal” environment by summer, there finally appears to be light at the end of the tunnel.
Gradually welcoming back family and friends into care settings will undoubtedly improve residents’ mental and physical wellbeing. But it will be down to care providers in the months ahead to minimise the risk of infection by working closely with their staff and residents’ families to ensure robust guidance is in place, processes are adhered to and a COVID-safe environment is maintained.
To complicate matters further, there is no mandatory requirement for either visitors or residents to have been vaccinated, and take-up amongst care home staff remains lower than anticipated. With this in mind, careful planning will be required to manage ongoing infection risk to all.
To help you develop practical arrangements for safely reintroducing visitors to your setting, we will be hosting a free live Q&A exclusively for care providers.
Hosted by Principal Health & Safety Consultant Charles Spencer, this 40-minute interactive session will offer guidance on important topics such as:
With so much to consider, it’s vital that you understand appropriate safety measures and feel confident addressing concerns from your staff, residents and visitors. This free advice session will give you the answers and reassurance you need to minimise disruption and ensure your organisation can move forward positively in the months ahead.
We welcome you to submit your questions ahead of time so we can answer them live during the session.
This webinar is free to attend – to register and submit your questions, please complete the form.
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