Care homes must continue taking new residents during the pandemic to ease pressure on hospitals that might be struggling to deal with covid-19 patients, new guidance has stated.

A letter from the chief medical officer, nursing and social work officers says care homes are a vital part of the health and care system and it is “imperative” they should keep accepting new admissions as long as “it is clinically safe to do so”.

The social care advice published today covers updated infection control rules and clinical guidance for both the home care and care home sectors.

Care homes will be expected to continue taking new residents even if they have more than one confirmed coronavirus case, as long as they follow infection control procedures.

Meanwhile visits should be banned with exceptions only allowed for family and friends for older people who are near the end of their lives or are distressed because they have dementia. Visitors will be asked to log their symptoms and will not be allowed in if they show any signs of covid-19.

There is a focus on getting in people in care homes or who receive care at home to record what they want to happen if their condition worsens, including do not attempt resuscitation orders.

Carer visits to people’s homes are officially classed as a “high priority service” that should not be deferred.

But across Scotland local authorities are reducing care packages to disabled, older and vulnerable people, healthandcare.scot has reported.

In Glasgow an 85-year-old woman had her twice-a-day support visits stopped – and was told they would not be reinstated even if her daughter, who is now caring for her, had to self-isolate.

In these situations family members caring for a relative are advised to contact their local social work department.

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