Visiting safely in our Scottish Homes
21st May 2021
Dear Relative
We are delighted to be able to allow visitors into our homes again and hope you have been able to be safely reunited with your loved one already. We know how important this is to everyone.
Our policies and procedures continue to be based on Government guidance and Public Health advice which tends to change frequently. We continue to monitor for information coming from central Government and Public Health and as time progresses and we are able to lift further restrictions on visiting, we will do so promptly. Our main intention remains, as it has since the start of the pandemic, the ongoing safety of residents, our colleagues and indeed visitors.
We have fully supported the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccination in the UK and continue to do so, and we have also ensured the regular testing regime of colleagues and residents. Our testing regime also extends to all of our visitors.
As a quick reminder, the salient points in relation to our present visiting policy are as follows:
- Each resident will normally have two nominated visitors. The new guidance we have issued allows some management discretion on this matter as long as the Home Manager discusses any increase in the number of visitors with Health Protection. Any increase will be dependent on any precautions which local Health Protection Departments prescribe
- A maximum of two visitors for each resident can visit together
- There are no set rules on how often nominated visitors can visit, or how long they can stay for. The length and frequency of visits is at the discretion of the Home Manager but we ask you bear in mind that we have to keep visits structured at the moment to ensure we have enough staff to assist with testing and to give everyone an opportunity to have visitors
- Nominated visitors will have an LFD test every time they visit the home
- PPE must be worn and we will supply PPE for you
- We do advocate a specific visiting room in our homes but a visit can take place in a resident’s own room if that is beneficial for the resident
- We can allow trips out for residents although guidance states that visitors organising the trips should only take residents to an outdoor setting. Please ensure such trips are discussed in advance with the Home Manager to allow appropriate organisation of this
- Outdoor visits, window visits, visits using a screen and palliative care visits will also be continuing.
Finally, we continue to monitor the number of new cases of Covid in the UK and as progress appears to be being made with quelling the impact of Covid, particularly in care home settings, guidance and advice from central Government is changing on a frequent basis.
We continue to have regular communication with the Department of Health and continue to change our guidance after appropriate consultation and consideration. Please do keep an eye on our website where we will publish regular updates on any significant changes.
Once again, we would like to thank you for the continued support, patience and understanding shown towards our exceptional colleagues working within our homes.
With very best wishes to you,