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 elderly parents and relatives of care home residents do not have to sit in the cold during visits during the covid-19 outbreak.
As of 12 April, every care home should ensure that each resident can nominate up to two named people who can have regular, indoor visits. Those residents with higher care needs can also nominate an ‘essential care giver’. These visitors will be able to visit more often in order to provide essential care. Visiting arrangements that have been available throughout the period of national lockdown should continue such as using substantial screens, visiting pods, behind windows or outdoors.