Family Carer COVID-19 Information
We want to assure you that we are aware of the impact the lockdowns and restrictions will have had on everyone. These impacts have disrupted many families and the loss of contact has been difficult for everyone.
At Elysium Healthcare we understand that the measures we must adhere to can be difficult. To help reduce the number of COVID positive cases we continue to follow government and NHS guidance in order to keep communities safe.
Visiting
In England the government have announced that the final stage of the road map to ease public mandated restrictions to manage COVID will occur on the 19th July. In Wales the devolved administration has also confirmed their intentions to ease restrictions from the 17th July, however they are retaining the legal requirement to wear masks in public spaces. The changes to rules and obligations in wider society do not apply to hospital or care settings, where we retain the duty to uphold infection control and protective equipment requirements.
The government is removing the mandatory requirements of COVID management from the wider community, whist recommending that individuals remain aware of their own needs and the needs of others. The government have not changed the guidance for managing hospitals or care homes with regards to infection control and the responsibility to maintain the safe care and management of your relative or friend, and you, remains our main concern.
We recommend and encourage all visitors to take the following actions to reduce their risk so that the visiting risk is reduced as far as possible:
- Take up the offer of vaccination and have both doses
- Take personal precautions to avoid contact with people in crowded or confined areas – keeping social distance
- Wear a mask in indoor spaces or public transport
- Regularly test using an LFD and isolate if positive and contact NHS Test and Trace
We appreciate your support and understanding as we continue to prioritise the safety of your loved one, their families and the staff who support them.
Care Homes
Service users will no longer have to name visitors and will be able to have visits from a wider group than the 5 people they were previously limited to. This however means that visits must still be pre-planned and managed. Limits on the number of people who can visit at the same time will still apply and the care home will be able to confirm these limits when they plan a visit. The precautions we take in our home will remain as follows:
- All visits to be pre-arranged and planned
- Testing on the day of the visit with an LFD
- Isolating if you are a known contact or have a household positive isolation
- PPE will still be required, including wearing a mask, that we supply
- If our service is in outbreak visiting in most cases cannot continue
Hospitals
Hospital visiting is still limited by NHS guidance as these settings have a communal population who are vulnerable to COVID and we have to control the level of contacts to reduce the risk of transmission.
- All visits to be pre-arranged and planned
- Testing on the day of the visit with an LFD is advised
- Isolating if you are a known contact or have a household positive isolation
- PPE will still be required, including wearing a mask, that we supply
- If our service is in outbreak visiting in most cases cannot continue
Leave
Visiting on leave is part of the care pathway for most patients in the progress of their pathway. However, the impact of lockdowns and restrictions has sadly impacted service user leave, access to leave, when approved, for recreation or exercise is still available.
During this time we encourage where possible, family, friends and carers find other ways of keeping in touch with loved ones, like phone and video calls. These will be supported by the service where clinically appropriate.
Isolating individuals with symptoms
In the event that an individual is displaying symptoms that indicate COVID-19, we will implement isolation of that individual in our care. Where this is the case, individuals will be in contact with staff regularly but kept separate from the other patients, residents or service users. The reasons, requirements and actions will be fully explained to your loved one and a care plan implemented to ensure the safety and wellbeing of that individual and prevent the spread of infection.
In the case we have to declare an outbreak the service will have to stop all visiting and leave, as required by the government.
We will make sure that the physical health and wellbeing of each patient, resident or service user is central to the delivery of their care.
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Once again thank you for your patience and we look forward to seeing you all again very soon.
In the meantime, if you have any queries or concerns you can speak directly with the Registered Manager of the service or e-mail them at FamilyandCarerenquiries@elysiumhealthcare.co.uk
Elysium Healthcare will update this web page weekly to keep you informed with the current situation. Further information can be found at the links below:
The Government have published the latest information on COVID-19: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
Mencap have produced their latest guidance here in Easy Read:
There is a two-minute daily update in British Sign Language about COVID 19 here: