Nov 2020
Latest update: 16 November
Update for friends and families.
We have been working tirelessly to ensure that we continue to enable face-to-face visits between our residents and their loved ones while complying with all the latest government guidance.
A key part of guidance published earlier this month was the approval of the use of specially adapted visiting rooms within homes. We believe the best way to create these spaces is by making alterations internally to most of our homes, and this will take the form of floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall screens which create a sealed barrier in specific rooms.
There may be a very small number of homes where we will have no choice but to have an outdoor purposed visitor pod.
We proceed immediately in securing specialist contractors to install this visiting facility across our homes. We needed to bear in mind the following:
- The partition had to be safety glass
- Both sides of the visitor room had to be ventilated with fresh air
- We needed to continue to adhere to the highest standards of fire regulations
- Hearing loops were needed to ensure that conversations could be carried out without interference
Please visit our regional pages for localised information on the completion of these homes. Care home managers will contact families of their residents directly once the room is completed.
Prior to homes installing the visitor rooms, our position is:
- There will be no visits for any home in outbreak (where two or more individuals living or working at the home have tested positive in the last 28 days) except for those in end of life care, but the use of iPads for virtual visits will of course be available during the outbreak period.
- Window visits will continue to be allowed and we will look at opportunities for having a location that can be used by those living on all floors.
- Garden visits will be allowed subject to an individual resident risk assessment to take account of medical and weather conditions.
- Where the permanent indoor room is not available within the next three weeks, we are identifying ground floor locations which will allow the resident to remain inside and we will then aim to install an awning or cover for the family member to be able to sit outside.