We welcome the government's guidance on visitors to our homes having been updated on the 3rd of December. The last 9 months have been very hard not only on you, the residents but all our teams as well, by not allowing visitors to have physical contact with their loved ones, talking through a window or using technology is acceptable but not ideal.
I am sure many of you are desperate to be able to hug your relative in a safe way of course. We are writing to ask you to please be patient while the logistics of the new guidance is implemented, we are acting as quickly as possible.
We have not been told when to expect our testing kits yet or how we are going to carry the test out; this is expected in the next few days. The government is going to make available testing for all visitors available rapidly in each home. We are working hard to find designated spaces in each home for the testing to be conducted. We also need to identify a safer place for visits to take place.
I am sure you understand that there will still have to be restrictions on visiting each home and our policy and protocols will have to be strictly followed. Visitors will be limited and the guidance remains with 1 or 2 designated visitors only per resident.
This means that whole families will not be allowed to visit. Visitors will still have to book their visit as we will be limited on how many visitors can be in the home at any given time. All direct visits will be subject to the wearing of the correct PPE at all times and of course a negative Covid test result.
We shall keep you informed as soon as we hear any more in the meantime please continue to use window, screen or technological visits.
Please stay safe
The Belmont Healthcare Management team
