Rules on family members visiting relatives in Scotland’s care homes are to be relaxed after months of restrictions.

The announcement follows campaigning by relatives, who took their concerns directly to Scotland’s health secretary.

It coincides with confirmation that care home testing will brought in-house to NHS Scotland laboratories.

Jeane Freeman said that the new rules, published today, will provide “some opportunity for greater and more meaningful contact” between relatives and care home residents.

Speaking at the Scottish government’s daily briefing, Ms Freeman said the guidance would provide ‘greater flexibility’ as she understood the need to balance protection from covid-19 quality of life.

Relatives had been promised changes to the advice at a meeting with the health secretary last week, as first reported by healthandcare.scot.

Cathie Russell, who heads up the Care Home Relatives Scotland group, has previously said not being able to properly interact with her 88-year-old mum Rosie had been the hardest months of her life.

Visits take place with Cathie in PPE and a plastic screen separating her from Rosie.

“She always raises her hands to get a hug - and I have to tell her I am not allowed - even though I am wearing the same PPE as staff,” Cathie said.

Speaking after the meeting at the beginning of the month, Cathie said: “We talked for nearly an hour and I think they have a grasp of the issues we are facing.

“They are away to consider the things we’ve put forward and definitely recognise the need to have an open channel of communication.

“Another meeting will be scheduled for next week. We can at least hope that at that point we will have some more positive news.”

Under the guidance unveiled today indoor visits can take place for up to four hours, up from half an hour.

Meanwhile visits outdoors can now include up to six people from two households.

As part of the changes, Ms Freeman confirmed that the handling of regular tests for care home staff would be moving from the UK-wide lighthouse lab network to the NHS.

healthandcare.scot reported the shift was being considered last month, after an increase in demand for testing in England has hit the whole of the UK, meaning that fewer tests of people in Scotland are being turned around in 24 or 48 hours.

 

Bulletin – Sign up for all the latest news and events.

Supporters – If you can help support our reporting for Scotland's health and social care community, please head to our donations page.