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 and as of the 16th August 2021 the guidance to the public has become expectations, with limited mandatory requirements (e.g. must isolate if positive). In Wales the devolved administration has also confirmed the easement of restrictions, however they are retaining the legal requirement to wear masks in public spaces.
The changes to rules and obligations in wider society do not fully apply to hospital or care settings, where the government requires us to retain the duty to uphold infection control and protective equipment requirements. 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
- Test using an LFD before visiting
- Do not visit if you are or if you have been in contact with someone who is COVID positive
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 can choose to identify visitors who can have indoor visits. There is no limit for the service user to name these visitors, those visiting indoors must agree to undergo LFD testing. Others can visit outdoors without testing. 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
- Do not visit if you are COVID positive or are a known contact or have a household COVID case within the last 10 days
- You will be asked to wear PPE as this is still 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
- Do not visit if you are COVID positive or are a known contact or have a household COVID case within the last 10 days
- You will be asked to wear PPE as this is still 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. Any precautions that are required will be explained by the service.
At times the service may have COVID cases and we may be unable to support visiting. We then 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.
__________________________
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: