Today I am off for the weekend and have work to do in moving things forward in being allowed to visit my mum. To clarify I don't have an issue with the care mum recieves at all, I do have an issue with being told I can't see her because of the government guidelines which still don't really make sense or justify blanket banning of visiting in care homes.
So to update anyone who is now confused and confounded by the whole care home visiting saga, on 15th October the government published new guidance on visiting in care homes, having revised these due to complaints about the previous guidance being ambiguous and illegal (see Johns Campaign), I confess I also wrote a significnat letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care as no doubt many have, which received a reply I can only describe as limited and dissapointing and no issues were addressed other than being referred back to official guidance -erm yes I read that, that's why I wrote a letter?
The new guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...icies-for-visiting-arrangements-in-care-homes
On 27th October, Johns Campaign have rejected the recent revamped (or rather reworded and almost contradictory) government guidance. Johns Campaign recent update said:
More about Johns Campaign and visiting in care homes here: https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/government-guidance-has-failed-care-homes/
I would invite anyone to read the recent government guidance and tell me that it actually makes sense as it eludes to being allowed to visit on the one hand and then removes it on the other by rather unusefullly implying 'risk' as the locus of argument. This is confounded by the fact that despite all of the evidence to date on infection control measures being effective, this is some how ignored as an actual risk reduction strategy -although it is mentioned for 'low risk'. The reality is that the risk in this scenario is now loosing any weight, because SARS-COV2 is now in all probability endemic -at which point it is impossible to say with any certainy that risk stratification has any usefulness. There is also the matter of a 'second wave' hence our current lockdown. There is clear factual evidence that a sweeping second wave is not possible as the population is now not naive to SARS-COV2. What matters is that where those in society are more likely to be a concern is to give autonomy back to the public, but have a clear infection prevention and control strategy in place in care homes and allow us to get on with seeing our loved ones who have very limited time.
So to update anyone who is now confused and confounded by the whole care home visiting saga, on 15th October the government published new guidance on visiting in care homes, having revised these due to complaints about the previous guidance being ambiguous and illegal (see Johns Campaign), I confess I also wrote a significnat letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care as no doubt many have, which received a reply I can only describe as limited and dissapointing and no issues were addressed other than being referred back to official guidance -erm yes I read that, that's why I wrote a letter?
The new guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...icies-for-visiting-arrangements-in-care-homes
On 27th October, Johns Campaign have rejected the recent revamped (or rather reworded and almost contradictory) government guidance. Johns Campaign recent update said:
"We strongly believe that the Government Guidance, updated on 15th October, is unlawful, and that it has had - and continues to have - a devastating impact both on residents of care homes and their loved ones.
By suggesting that in 'high' and 'very high' risk areas, visits should be limited to exceptional circumstances (such as end of life), and that therefore a general policy of exclusion may be adopted, the Government, in our solicitors' words, 'misstates the law' and as a consequence also encourages care providers and Directors of Public Health to behave illegally."
More about Johns Campaign and visiting in care homes here: https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/government-guidance-has-failed-care-homes/
I would invite anyone to read the recent government guidance and tell me that it actually makes sense as it eludes to being allowed to visit on the one hand and then removes it on the other by rather unusefullly implying 'risk' as the locus of argument. This is confounded by the fact that despite all of the evidence to date on infection control measures being effective, this is some how ignored as an actual risk reduction strategy -although it is mentioned for 'low risk'. The reality is that the risk in this scenario is now loosing any weight, because SARS-COV2 is now in all probability endemic -at which point it is impossible to say with any certainy that risk stratification has any usefulness. There is also the matter of a 'second wave' hence our current lockdown. There is clear factual evidence that a sweeping second wave is not possible as the population is now not naive to SARS-COV2. What matters is that where those in society are more likely to be a concern is to give autonomy back to the public, but have a clear infection prevention and control strategy in place in care homes and allow us to get on with seeing our loved ones who have very limited time.