Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that all care homes allow five visitors per relative in accordance with the easing of restrictions on 17 May 2021.

The Government is working closely with care home providers, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and others to encourage and support care homes to allow more visiting safely. Important infection prevention and control measures including social distancing and cleaning may limit the number of visits that can take place. Visiting may also be limited where a care home has experienced a recent outbreak of COVID-19 or due to community prevalence of variants of concern, as directed by local public health officials.

If a resident or their family have concerns that a care home is not following visiting guidance appropriately, it should be raised with the home in the first instance. They can also contact the CQC, who can investigate complaints.