Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage care homes to grant more Essential Caregiver status requests.

Our guidance for care homes on visiting and admissions, updated on 17 June, makes clear that all care home residents should be able to nominate an ‘essential care giver’ who may visit the home to attend to essential care needs. Care home managers should work with residents to allow them to nominate the care giver and visits from these individuals should always be supported, including during periods of self-isolation, for example, following an overnight stay in hospital.

If a resident or their relative feels that the care home is not following visiting guidance, they should raise the matter with the home. If they are not satisfied that the issue is resolved, the Care Quality Commission can look into any complaints.