Further to our update of 5th January Margaret Greaves and Nicky Priest have been working on how best to ensure visiting can be undertaken following the lock down announced on the 4th of January. They have fully considered the two documents below* received on 6th of January from Gloucestershire County Council Integrated Brokerage, being our authority in this matter.
*The General Principles of Care Home Visiting and Gloucestershire Care Home Tailored Visits Risk Stratification Tool for Individualised Visiting in Care Homes (incorporating Lateral Flow Device Testing for Visitors).
Under National Lockdown: Stay at Home Guidance and in line with Tier 4 previous restrictions, visits to care homes can take place with arrangements such as substantial screens, visiting pods, or behind windows. Close-contact indoor visits are not allowed. No visits will be permitted in the event of a Covid-19 outbreak. Discretion continues to be applicable for compassionate visits in the case of imminent end of life situations.
At Horsfall House we are able to offer external ground-floor window visits as well as visits within a Perspex-screened area inside the courtyard entrance into the Day Centre on the ground floor. These methods have already been used and enjoyed during 2020 and the recent festive season.
We are one of several homes which have applied to Gloucestershire County Council for a grant towards a bespoke visiting pod to situate within the courtyard access to the day centre.
Each request for a visit is
o risk-assessed on an individual basis to determine low, moderate, or high
risk
o preceded by a Lateral Flow Device test yielding a negative result
We do not consider it be in the interests of residents to be exposed to visits in cold settings, indoors or out of doors. This is especially the case during the present cold winter months.
Please contact Margaret or Nicky to arrange a visit which will be by appointment only.
Christopher Fisher
Chair of the Management Board
Minchinhampton Centre For the Elderly