Routine weekly visits for up to two designated visitors to their loved ones in Scottish residential care homes are to restart early next month, with the hope of further easing thereafter.

The Scottish government says it will publish detailed guidance on Wednesday, with designated visitors being required to wear face coverings and PPE. They will also be ‘strongly encouraged’ to take a covid test on arrival.

The guidance will list a series of safety measures that care homes will need to have in place by mid-March to reduce the risks and allow the number of weekly visits, and visitors, to gradually increase.

The easing of the ban on indoor visits was promised last week and follows a dramatic fall in the number of people dying from covid-19 in care homes – to the lowest proportion since the start of the pandemic – linked to the almost universal uptake of covid vaccination amongst residents, something health officials have described as extraordinary.

The news coincides with the announcement today by the Westminster government that care home residents in England will be asked to designate one visitor to be allowed to meet them indoors.

Cathie Russell, spokesperson for Care Home Relatives Scotland, helped lead a campaign to restart visiting amid concerns for the emotional health of their loved ones:

“We look forward to working with care home providers, public health and oversight teams to ensure that the new guidance allows residents to enjoy meaningful contact with their closest relatives and friends once more.

“It has been a very difficult year. The deepest ties of love are important, and we can never thrive without them.”

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman says she has the greatest sympathy for everyone who has been unable to see loved ones in person for so long, and that decisions on the issue have been some of the most difficult she has had to make:

“Care home staff have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to support continued contact between residents and their loved ones but these restrictions have been hugely challenging for them, as well as for care home staff and colleagues.

“We deeply regret the deaths and other harm caused by coronavirus in our care homes, but we also recognise the harm caused to the wellbeing of residents and families as a result of an inability to see those they love.

“We must remain vigilant about the risks but with multiple layers of protection now in place the balance is in favour of allowing visits.

“Everyone, including visitors, has a responsibility to ensure that visits take place as safely as possible by continuing to follow safety advice.”

The Chief Executive of the care providers’ organisation, Scottish Care, Donald Macaskill says of all the challenges that have faced frontline care home staff and managers during the pandemic, the hardest has been keeping residents apart from family and friends:

“This day has been long-awaited, and we understand that it will be an emotional time for many.

“We have now reached a very different place and with a range of covid-19 protections in place, including vaccination and testing, combined with the use of PPE and IPC [infection prevention and control measures], we are at a stage where we can re-introduce safer indoor visiting to Scotland’s care homes.

“Scottish Care is committed to supporting staff and managers, residents and family, to make sure that these guidelines succeed in their aim of reconnecting individuals.”

Last summer ministers gave Scotland’s directors of public health “direct responsibility” for “daily support and oversight” of care homes.

Speaking on behalf of fellow directors of public health, Gabe Docherty welcomed the new guidance:

“There’s not been a day when these very human considerations haven’t weighed on the minds of my colleagues and I as we’ve endeavoured to safely negotiate all the challenges covid has presented.

“It is always been the focus of directors of public health to reinstate visiting as soon as there was evidence that the risks of doing so were greatly reduced. So I warmly welcome and wholeheartedly endorse the approach – and all that it means for care home residents, their families and care home staff.”

The Scottish government says all care homes will be expected to meet nine levels of protection to mitigate the risks of resuming visiting are:

• Effective Infection Prevention Control in each care home as standard practice at all times;
• Appropriate PPE and training on donning and doffing in a safe way and a safe place;
• Testing for all residents entering or returning to a care home;
• Three times weekly testing for all staff;
• Testing for all professional and other staff entering a care home;
• Testing for family visitors;
• PPE for family visitors;
• Vaccination of residents and staff;
• Public health and primary care support and guidance if symptoms or  a positive case develops in a resident or staff member.

The Health and Social Care  spokesperson for local government organisation CoSLA, Councillor Stuart Currie, says he’s pleased that meaningful contact for care home residents can resume:

"This guidance supports all parts of the system to ensure that meaningful contact is undertaken safely with a number of safety and protection measures in place.”

The Scottish government says visiting to any care home will be suspended in the event of an outbreak of covid 19.

 

Source: SG News Release: Care home visits to resume - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

 

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