Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to section 1.1 of his Department's most recent guidance on care home visiting, if he will publish the exceptional circumstances in which someone may need the additional support of more than one essential care giver; and who is responsible for making that decision.

All care home residents should be supported to nominate an essential care giver, who can visit in most circumstances, including during an outbreak. There will be exceptional circumstances where the additional support of more than one essential care giver may be required, for example, if a nominated essential care giver is unwell. The Department promotes a localised approach for providers, carers, residents and their families to make decisions around these exceptional circumstances, utilising individualised risk assessments.

Residents, their loved ones and their carers are best placed to make decisions about their care. They should be included in all decision-making, including determining a resident’s essential care giver and how many they should have. Registered care home managers will take decisions based on the specific circumstances in their setting.