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Visiting a care home - what you need to know about Covid-19 guidance

We are delighted that it is now much easier to visit your loved ones in our care homes, thanks to a significant easing of Government coronavirus restrictions earlier this year.

The new arrangements remove the need for most visitors to carry out an LFT Covid test before entering the home, and also remove the requirement for the regular testing of residents without Covid-19 symptoms. There is also no need to pre-book your visit with the care home, although you are welcome to do so if you prefer.

Whilst sensible precautions must remain in place to protect those in our care, we are pleased that this latest guidance makes it easier for our residents to see their loved ones – something which we know is incredibly beneficial for their mental health and wellbeing.

Visiting a care home

Until now, all those visiting loved ones in care homes have been required to show proof of a negative Covid-19 test result before entering the home. Current government guidance now means that only those visitors providing personal care to residents will need to do an LFT before visiting.

All visitors will still be asked to wear facemasks, but only those providing personal care will need to test before entering the home. Those providing personal care on a regular basis will need to test regularly (twice a week is sufficient) and wear additional PPE as appropriate for the care they are providing.

Please contact the home directly if you are unsure as to whether you will need to test before visiting.

We kindly ask that you do not visit if you are unwell or have symptoms.

Testing and self-isolation for residents

In line with the latest government guidance, residents will no longer have to undertake regular asymptomatic testing for Covid-19. Instead, residents will only be asked to test if they show symptoms, or if they are moving into the home from another setting.

Self-isolation now only applies if a resident has tested positive for Covid-19, or if they have been discharged from a setting (for example a hospital ward) where there is an active outbreak. The guidance no longer requires residents to isolate if they have been in contact with someone who has tested positive.

Isolation lasts for 10 days, but can end sooner if the resident has two consecutive negative test results on Days 5 and 6 of their isolation (with the date of their positive test being Day 0). Visiting may still be able to take place under certain circumstances with residents who are self-isolating.

Questions?

If you have any questions around Covid-19 visiting guidance, please feel free to contact the home you are visiting, where the team will be happy to help.

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