House of Commons · Westminster Hall
11 November 2020 · 9 other contributors · 13,555 words
Opened by Joy Morrissey Con Beaconsfield
Responding minister: Helen Whately
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
Joy Morrissey raised concerns about family visits in health and social care settings: covid-19 in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key points
Key requests to Government
I ask the Government to consider special exemptions for families of vulnerable disabled patients, allowing them access as advocates and carers during winter months. Improved mass testing and availability of PPE could help achieve this without compromising NHS safety.
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.
Opened the debate
I am concerned about the denial of visitation rights for families of working-age disabled adults in full-time residential care, particularly during the pandemic. A case involving a mother's inability to see her son Jamie highlights the issue: Jamie was left isolated and neglected, leading to severe health deterioration before his death. The lack of family support and advocacy exacerbates problems in adult social care, which already faced issues prior to the pandemic.
Over 40% of covid-19 deaths have taken place in care homes, causing a mental health crisis. Alex raised concerns about the financial burden on care providers for implementing safe visiting measures without additional funding commitments. He called for families to be given the same rights as key workers with regular access to testing and PPE training. The MP also highlighted the importance of social workers having safe access to care settings.
Mr. Andy Carter highlighted the difficulties families face when visiting loved ones in care homes due to varying restrictions across different areas. He mentioned a constituent who did not see his parents for five months and advocated for more humane guidance on visits. He noted that around 66,000 deaths occurred in care homes during the first wave of the pandemic, with about 30% being covid-related. He emphasised the importance of social contact for those suffering from dementia, as a lack thereof can significantly impact their condition's progression. Carter welcomed the pilot scheme to grant informal carers key worker status and encouraged the use of rapid lateral flow tests in Warrington.
He expressed concerns about the mental health and wellbeing of care home residents due to restricted family visits. He highlighted issues such as limited window space for meetings, inadequate telephone access in care homes, and a lack of technological understanding among both staff and residents. He welcomed recent guidance on how to reunite families with care home residents but called for further measures to mitigate loneliness and mental health impacts.
MP Daisy Cooper expressed concern about the emotional and physical toll of family separation in care homes due to Covid-19 restrictions. She highlighted a constituent's mother who, despite being close with her children, is unable to receive hugs or hand-holding from them after eight months, illustrating the fear and isolation experienced by both residents and their families.
Discussed the impact of covid-19 restrictions on family visits to care homes, citing personal correspondence and statistics such as '50,000 deaths' and '30,000 excess care home deaths'. Emphasised the emotional toll on families and residents, highlighting inconsistent visitation policies across different care facilities. Mass testing is taking place in Liverpool and many people are hopeful that it will allow for more visits to care homes in the weeks ahead. The MP asked what talks the Minister has had with Liverpool about this.
Addressed the difficult balance between protecting older people from covid-19 and maintaining social contact. Described personal experience with an elderly relative in a care home suffering due to lack of visits, emphasising the need for safe visitation policies.
East Sussex has the highest proportion of care homes in the south-east but the lowest covid rate. The speaker highlighted a resident's partner's mental health deterioration due to limited visits, suggesting that care home visit measures should not resemble prison visits. He proposed seven measures including regular testing for designated family members and prioritising the vaccine for residents and staff.
Paid tribute to local authorities and organisations campaigning for family visits in care homes. Highlighted the anguish caused by isolation, citing a survey where 80% of care home managers said lack of social contact leads to deterioration in residents' physical and mental health. Emphasised the need for immediate action due to the limited time available for many residents.
The MP highlighted the critical role of family visits in maintaining the well-being and safety of care home residents. She criticised the lack of transparency during the first lockdown, noting that families were not informed about risks or deaths until it was too late. She emphasised the importance of proactive communication with families to make informed care choices, mentioning instances where delayed information led to adverse outcomes for residents.
Government Response
Helen WhatelyMinister for Care Helen Whately addressed the debate on family visits in health and social care settings during the pandemic. She acknowledged the critical importance of visits to residents' wellbeing, families' emotional support, and resident safety through advocacy. Initially, visits were restricted due to high risks but guidance was relaxed as cases decreased. Current guidance encourages covid-secure visiting methods like screens, windows, or pods. Testing for staff is weekly; residents are tested every 28 days, and a visitor testing trial will begin in four local authorities on November 16th using PCR and lateral flow tests to assess feasibility before wider roll-out. Whately expressed optimism that this approach, combined with lower infection rates and vaccine availability, could enable more visits.