Visiting in Care Homes Newsletter July 2022
Since May 2022 the Public Health Agency (PHA) along with colleagues in the Department of Health (DoH) have worked with family members, RQIA, Health and Social Care Trusts and other stakeholders to produce the monthly ‘Visiting in Care Homes Newsletter’.
This was to support better communication with residents, families and staff about how care homes are progressing along the 'Visiting with Care - A Pathway' and explain the changes to care home visiting guidance at every stage.
With the help of Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA), the newsletter is sent directly to care home managers, who are able to email the newsletter to families and also provide, where possible, printed copies within the care home, for residents, staff and families to access.
Please see link to July 2022 issue of Visiting in Care Homes Newsletter here.
Further background:
The ‘Visiting with Care – A Pathway’, is a road map through COVID-19 to help normalise visiting in care homes once again. The Pathway has four stages:
- Cautious first steps
- Gradual easing
- Further easing
- Preparing for the future
Each of these stages sets out varying degrees of restrictions, based on the risk to residents, visitors and staff.
Since 1 July 2022, care homes are at the ‘Preparing for the Future’ stage of the Pathway.
To read the current Visiting with Care – A Pathway in full see here.