Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will issue guidance to care settings on how to (a) support and (b) maintain contact between Parkinsons’ patients and their family members and carers.

Visits from loved ones are vital to the health and wellbeing of people receiving care in care homes, hospitals and hospices. In December 2023, the Government laid before Parliament the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) Regulations 2023, which adds visiting and accompanying as a new fundamental standard for the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to inspect care and health settings against. These regulations will come into force on 6 April 2024.

The CQC is now consulting on its proposed guidance for this legislation, which will help the health and social care sector understand and meet the new standard on visiting and accompanying in care homes, hospitals, and hospices and their roles and responsibilities under it. The guidance also sets out what people using health and social care services and their families, friends or advocates can expect. The consultation can be found at the following link:

https://www.cqc.org.uk/about-us/how-we-involve-you/consultations/consultation-our-guidance-visiting-care-homes-hospitals-and-hospices