Coronavirus: Care home providers ask families to 'minimise' visits

The UK's largest care home providers are asking families and friends to 'minimise' visits to residents and to 'stop non-essential visits' till further notice, in a bid to prevent coronavirus spreading to care homes.

Barchester Healthcare which owns 225 care homes and six mental health hospitals in the UK has called on family and friends to 'minimise their visits' to care home residents.

In a statement, Barchester Healthcare chief executive Dr Pete Calveley and director of quality and care Julia Atherton are asking all visitors, including family members and friends ‘to stop routinely visiting our care homes and hospitals until further notice.’ The only visitors allowed are ‘vital medical visits.’

The statement reads:

'The UK remains in the containment phase of tracing coronavirus cases to prevent it spreading in the community. Barchester are committed to ensuring that we keep all our residents, patients and staff as safe as possible and as a preventative measure we are asking visitors, including family members and friends, to stop routinely visiting our care homes and hospitals until further notice.'

'Visits from the local community and external entertainment are cancelled'

Dr Calveley and Ms Atherton said: "We have not taken this decision lightly, and appreciate this may cause some discomfort, but feel that this is a necessary step to take.

"If there is a situation that requires a non-routine visit we would ask that you discuss this with the general manager of the home/director of the hospital to ensure that the appropriate precautionary measures are taken to limit any potential risk.

"In addition, we are limiting visits overall, and visits from the local community and external entertainment are cancelled for the foreseeable future."

Barchester also wants to ensure vital medical visits are made and only allowing visitors who are not displaying symptoms come in and they wash their hands on entering.

Dr Calveley and Ms Atherton said: "We would really appreciate your support with these measures, and please be reassured that we are closely following and complying with the Public Health authorities to ensure that we keep our residents and patients safe and that our staff are supported to continue to deliver great care.

"In the unfortunate situation that we do have a case in one of our homes or hospitals, we will need to stop all visiting completely and will inform you accordingly."

Sunrise and Gracewell invest in iPads across all its homes so family and friends can reduce visits and stay in touch

Care providers, Sunrise and Gracewell, also want residents' families and friends to reduce their visits and have invested in iPads in all its homes so they can still stay in touch.

A spokesperson for Sunrise and Gracewell said: "The health and wellbeing of everyone that makes their home at Sunrise and Gracewell is our foremost priority, and we have robust infection control procedures in place.

"As such, and in anticipation of the government moving to the ‘delay’ phase of its national response, we are postponing or cancelling group activities with residents that involve contact with more than 10 external people.

"This includes events at the home and external visits. We are also investing in iPads across all of our homes so that family and friends can reduce visits and stay in touch with their loved ones remotely, and asking anyone who is feeling ill or has returned from category 1 or 2 not to visit until they have recovered or spent sufficient time in quarantine."

Anchor stops non-essential visits

Another large care provider, Anchor, is also taking precautionary measures and has taken the decision to "temporarily stop non-essential visits".

An Anchor spokesperson said: “Given the rising number of cases of Coronavirus in the country, we have put in place measures to safeguard the wellbeing of all our residents. As part of this, we have made the decision to temporarily stop non-essential visits to our care homes with immediate effect. This is purely a precaution.

"Relatives and friends of residents will continue to be welcomed to our homes. Visitors should continue to follow NHS advice on hygiene, particularly as coronavirus presents a greater risk to older people.

"Essential visits such as those from medical specialists or if buildings maintenance were necessary, will also continue. Our contractors have reassured us that they are following all relevant guidance."

HC-One says it has robust contingency plans in place

Care provider HC-One revealed that it has put robust contingency plans in place, with a spokesperson saying: "HC-One has always had robust policies in place to both prepare for and prevent the spread of any infection or virus, including Coronavirus. “In light of recent events, we have updated these policies in line with the latest advice from the UK and devolved Governments, the NHS and Public Health bodies in relation to COVID-19.

"We are confident that all reasonable steps have been taken to mitigate risk to residents and colleagues, and that we have robust contingency plans in place.”

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