Several major voices within the care sector have joined together to call on the government to resume care home visits by 1st March 2021.
The National Care Forum, Age UK, Relatives and Residents Association, John’s Campaign, Rights for Residents and the Registered Nursing Homes Association are calling on the government to make the visits an essential component of the plans for easing the national lockdown in England.
The Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to unveil his “roadmap”, a timeline of phases for lifting lockdown measures, on 22nd February.
Vic Rayner, Executive Director of the National Care Forum, said: “Many care homes have continued to offer visiting throughout the pandemic, balancing risks with the need to retain ongoing family contact. However, all care homes must now be better supported to enable meaningful visiting and the NCF, together with a number of organisations, are calling on the government to ensure that, by 1st March 2021, essential caregivers can once again visit their loved ones in care homes.
“Many family members, quite understandably, want to be reunited with their loved ones as soon as possible and this must be a priority in the roadmap to ease out of the lockdown. If dates have been set for the opening of bars and pubs, restaurants, schools and other industries, then the same effort and resolve must be given to opening up care homes to reunite families.
“As an integral part of the roadmap out of lockdown, it is vital that all parties address the barriers that are in place around making it possible for essential caregivers to once again be a part of care home life. This must extend to all people receiving care and support in different care settings, so they too can look forward to being reunited with their families and friends. Providers have worked incredibly hard to keep visiting as available as possible through the strictures of ever-changing guidance, and this is a moment where we pull out all the stops to make visiting happen.”
