Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the care sector has been instructed to follow the version 1 Admission and Care of Residents during COVID-19 Incident in a Care Home guidance document published on 2 April 2020, since 6 April 2020 when that guidance was withdrawn; and what guidance the care sector has been instructed to follow since 6 April 2020.

The Government, NHS England, Public Health England and the Care Quality Commission co-published updated guidance for the care sector on 2 April 2020. ‘Admission and Care of Residents during COVID-19 Incident in a Care Home’ is the current guidance for the care sector and is live on gov.uk. This guidance sets out infection control and cohorting advice to care homes, which providers should follow to ensure that they have the confidence to receive and support residents.

The ‘Admission and Care of Residents during COVID-19 Incident in a Care Home’ guidance replaced previous guidance on residential care provision originally published on 13 March 2020. The residential care provision guidance was withdrawn on 6 April 2020, as the new care home guidance contains comprehensive information for care homes on supporting residents and staff during COVID-19.

Following publication of the Adult Social Care Action Plan on 15 April 2020, we are reviewing ‘Admission and Care of Residents during COVID-19 Incident in a Care Home’ to update it in line with the plan. We have included a placeholder on the gov.uk page to notify stakeholders that the guidance is being updated. This also includes a summary of relevant sections in the action plan for the most up-to-date guidance.