Clarity call over lockdown care visits

Allowing people to visit relatives in care homes through windows or in outdoor settings has been dismissed as "warm words" by experts, who have criticised the new Government guidance.

As of Thursday, "ad-hoc" visits are not allowed although homes "will be encouraged and supported to provide safe visiting opportunities", the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said.

The National CareForum(NCF) acknowledged the "sentiment" of the measures, but said extra financial support and practical safety measures were also needed and demanded clarity on the guidance.

The guidance includes having designated visitor ‘pods’ with floor-to-ceiling screen sand separate entrances, and outdoor meetups with one other person ."

Vic Rayner, executive director of the National Care Forum, said: "It is very important that the secretary of state and the care minister have understood just how vital visiting is to the hundreds of thousands of people who live in care homes, and how heartbreaking it is to be separated from families and friends.

“Warm words will not escape the fact that these arrangements, without urgent support, will leave many, literally, out in the cold.

"We call on the Government to urgently clarify what these arrangements mean in practice, and provide homes with additional financial support to rapidly put the necessary measures in place.”

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