Matt Hancock ‘heartless’ over care home visits – The Yorkshire Post says

It is both discourteous – and bordering on the heartless. The latest example is visits to care home after 60 organisations called on the Government to find a way for some relatives to see loved ones, particularly dementia sufferers.

This follows a letter that Mike Padgham, chair of the North Yorkshire Independent Care Group, wrote to Mr Hancock on October 1 calling for ways to be found to enable “meaningful family visits” to take place safely because separation was “particularly debilitating for those with dementia” and that “it cannot go on”. Mr Padgham believes care homes are in a position to test a designated relative and ensure that they wear PPE. He’s still waiting for an acknowledgment.

He then wrote to Mr Hancock’s deputy Helen Whately, the Care Minister, on October 19 volunteering his care homes to take part in a pilot scheme. Again, no response has been forthcoming.

Now the Government argues, fairly, that its first priority is “the prevention of infections” and this means limiting visits in “areas with high rates of infection”.

But not all parts of the country have been under severe restrictions and the failure of Ministers to enter into any sort of dialogue with care professionals bodes ill for the health and, crucially, wellbeing of care home residents – and their families. And this unsatisfactory state of affairs will persist unless the Government begins to make more of an effort. Answering Mr Padgham’s letters would be a start.

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