Calls for government statement on care home visits

 

North Wales MS Mark Isherwood has called for an urgent Welsh Government statement on Covid-19 Restrictions on visits to care homes in Wales after being contacted by families who said they are "desperate" to visit their loved ones.

Raising the matter in the Senedd he said his constituents are concerned that the restrictions are having a detrimental impact on their elderly relatives.

And he quoted from the letter from one who wrote: “Our mother has only resided at the nursing home since February.

“Visits stopped completely during the first wave of the pandemic and resumed with outdoor visits in mid-August. However all visits stopped again on 1st October.

“The restrictions on visiting at this moment are detrimental to Mum's health and well-being and an infringement of her civil liberties and rights.

“I hope that you will urge the Welsh Government to advise that where visits to residents in care homes can be made safely, they should be re-instated as soon as possible.”

Mr Isherwood said: “I call for an urgent statement accordingly.”

The Trefnydd Rebecca Evans said she would speak to the Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services, adding: "In order to “provide an update on the latest work that is going on to ensure that we're best able to support people who are in care homes, but also recognising that the needs are not just around protecting people from COVID-19, but also about promoting their mental health and well-being and ensuring that they keep those family ties alive.”