Care home visits must be OUTSIDE or through a window during England's second coronavirus lockdown, Government says

Care home visits must take place outside or through a window or screen during England's second coronavirus lockdown, the Government said today.  

'Ad hoc' in-person visits will not be allowed but homes will still be able to find alternative ways for relatives to meet up with residents.

During the first wave in the spring visits had to be banned completely because the virus was ravaging the care sector and officials feared they could not be safely organised. 

Care organisations and Sir Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party, have campaigned for visits to continue to be allowed during the second lockdown to avoid leaving residents isolated.  

In its guidance, issued less than 12 hours before new lockdown measures are introduced, the Department of Health suggested that homes could set up designated visitor 'pods' with screens, host visits through windows at a distance, or allow one-on-one meetings outdoors. Failing that, it said, they should try to encourage more virtual visits.

But critics said the rules 'miss the point' and would not work well for people with dementia, who make up a majority of care home residents and of whom many would not understand or cope with the rules.  

Outdoor visits will be out of the question for most as the autumn weather turns, with rain and plummeting temperatures now the norm across the country. 

Martin Green, chair of Care England, said it was disappointing that a better policy had not been devised during the months since the first lockdown. 

Drive-through visits at care homes were permitted at some locations for part of the first lockdown (Pictured: A visit taking place at a home in Banbury, Oxfordshire)

'We are really upset that a proper policy has not been published in time when a second lockdown was always on the cards, Mr Green said.

The guidelines come into force ahead of a bout of 'chilly' weather, the Met Office said, 'turning milder from the South through the weekend'.

CHARITIES SLAM ANNOUNCEMENT OF SHIELDING HOURS BEFORE LOCKDOWN 

Charities have lashed out at the Government's decision to announce a return to shielding for around two million people just hours before England's second lockdown. 

Except for exercise and medical appointments, people who are at a very high risk of dying if they catch Covid-19 should remain at home and not meet up with others, officials said today. 

The Department of Health toughened its advice just weeks after reassuring people that shielding would not return and 'soft advice' would be used.

Although some finer details have changed — people will not have to protect themselves from members of their own household, and can go outside to exercise or visit a doctor — the 'stay at home at all times' message is back again.

Health charities say unveiling the new guidance in mid-afternoon before a midnight lockdown has not given those in the 'clinically extremely vulnerable' group enough time to prepare.

Organisations representing people who will be affected by the guidance, who have conditions including arthritis, multiple sclerosis and dementia, claim the sudden advice change will cause 'worry and confusion'.

People in the highest risk group include those having cancer treatment, people who have had organ transplants, those with severe lung conditions like cystic fibrosis or COPD, people with kidney disease and pregnant women with heart disease.

Everyone over the age of 70 is included in a slightly lower risk group known as 'clinically vulnerable' and face less specific advice to 'stay at home as much as possible, to carefully follow the rules and minimise contact with others'. In general they are not believed to be entitled to the same Government support.

The DHSC said it is encouraging the use of video calls between residents and family members, supported by a multi-million-pound distribution of 11,000 iPad devices to care homes.

It said plans are currently being developed to allow specific family and friends to visit care homes supported by a testing programme, although trials will not begin until later this month.

A new national programme for weekly testing of professionals who regularly visit care homes, including community nurses and physiotherapists, will also be rolled out in the coming weeks following a successful local pilot, the Government said.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: 'Care homes should feel empowered by this new guidance to look at safe options to allow visits to care homes that suit their residents and facilities.

'We've seen some really innovative solutions used to help families see each other safely, face-to-face, which has been life-changing for some.

'It is vital high-quality, compassionate care and infection control remains at the heart of every single care home to protect staff and residents' lives, but we must allow families to reunite in the safest way possible.'

The guidance said that 'all care home residents in England should be allowed to receive visits from their family and friends in a Covid-secure way' during the lockdown.

Kate Lee, chief executive officer at the Alzheimer's Society, said the guidance 'completely misses the point' for those with dementia and their families.

She said: 'The prison-style screens the Government proposes – with people speaking through phones – are frankly ridiculous when you consider someone with advanced dementia can often be bed-bound and struggling to speak.

'They won't understand and will be distressed by what's going on around them.

'Aside from the naive assumption that care homes have the resource, the space and time to build these screens, distraught families will read this news and despair.'

Martin Green, chief executive of care home provider Care England, called for greater clarity on care home visiting.

He said: 'We are really upset that a proper policy has not been published in time when a second lockdown was always on the cards.'

Earlier, Sir Keir told Boris Johnson of the concerns 'about the emotional wellbeing of those in care homes, and their families, if all visits are stopped'.

He said: 'It must be possible to find a way… to allow some safe visits, to alleviate the huge fears of isolation and despair across the coming months.'

Caroline Abrahams, director of charity Age UK, fumed earlier this week that France is allowing care home visits despite going into national lockdown.

Ms Abrahams said: 'We believe the right approach during this second national lockdown is to continue to allow visiting to care homes on a case-by-case basis, provided it can be carried out safely.

'We have been heartened in recent days by some fantastic work going on in a growing number of local areas to organise safe visiting, with councils, care providers and families all working together.

'It would be a tragedy to undo this progress now, by imposing draconian measures that ignore the potential for safe visiting in some, perhaps many, places.'

Legislation published last month banned carers from working in more than one care home, as the Government aims to avoid making the same catastrophic errors it did in spring.

More than 20,000 care home residents died from Covid-19 during the first wave of the pandemic, in part because asymptomatic workers were allowed to freely move between care homes without being tested for the disease.

Experts say homes employing bank staff, who work at more than one facility, were more at risk from the coronavirus because it provided an opportunity for the disease to jump from an infected home into others.

But they are now required to ask staff to sign 'exclusive' contracts barring them from working in more than one home.