Regular contact with loved ones is essential for the mental and physical wellbeing of our residents and so we are pleased to be able to offer a range of visiting options for family members and friends as restrictions ease.
All visitors are asked to follow our Visitor Policy, on arrival a declaration and temperature check will be completed, use of PPE and observation of social distancing measures. Hand Hygiene is essential and you will be asked to use hand gel on arrival.
This visiting policy sets out the guidelines for each type of visit.
Screened Visits
Visits must be pre booked with Bleak House, two daily visiting times are available. Visits take place at 10am or 11am for 30 minutes, this allows a full IPC clean down takes place in-between visits.
No PPE or testing is required for these visits.
Indoor Visits
Indoor visits can be scheduled with strict guidance and government guideline to be followed, they are also subject to LFT testing. If an indoor visit is agreed and scheduled full PPE must be worn (Face mask, gloves and apron), a LFT test completed and the visitor is to wait outside of the building for 30 minutes until a clear result is shown if they have not produced a test taken at home the day of their visit, if the result is negative the visit can go ahead inside. The areas for indoor visits are a residents bedroom, the Meeting Room or the Medical Room. We have protected meal times, no visiting between 12pm & 2.30pm
Garden Visits
Family visits are taking place in the grounds at a designated area to the back of the garden. Visitors are required to pre book their visits. Visiting times apply, these are10am or 11am daily. No testing is required for these visits and no PPE is required.
Out of house visiting
All out of house visits are subject to a residents personal risk assessment..
Visits are subject LFT testing for our resident before they leave for the visit. Public transport can be used to access visits only if a resident is able to comply with PPE. Family are encouraged to test before a visit to keep their loved one safe (tests can be obtained from your local chemist or https://www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests)
We continue to also offer videocalls on a daily basis to ensure residents keep in touch with their nearest and dearest when a visit in person is not possible.
We allow children to visit if social distancing guidelines can be followed. We also welcome dogs if an outdoor visit is taking place.
Covid-19 rules and regulations are continuously changing and evolving, so too will our policy and will be updated as we see fit. Our priority is keeping our family of residents safe and well.
We have posted our updated Visiting Policy to all our residents loved ones and nominated persons.
Please remember each resident has their own individual risk assessment so please ask when booking visits.
Visiting times remain -
10am
11am
7 days per week.
Visiting at Bleak House
During the epidemic/pandemic, we shut our doors to visitors inside of the home. Family visits are taking place in the grounds at a designated table to the back of the garden or in the screened pod in the entrance of the activity room. All visits must be pre-booked by the family and the visiting slots are twice daily at 10am or 11am, each visit will be a maximum of 30 minutes and strictly no longer as a clean down has to take place after each visit and only one family on site at any one time. Indoor visits maybe scheduled with strict guidance and government guideline to be followed. If an indoor visit is scheduled; full PPE must be worn (Face mask, gloves and apron), a LFD test completed and the visitor to wait outside of the building for 30 minutes until a clear result is shown, if the result is negative the visit can go ahead inside the medical room with the window open and the air purifier on full. Bleak House advise against these visits as the our residents have stated they do not wish to see family with face masks present and would rather have a more enjoyable visit in the garden/pod. It is our policy to put our residents needs first so a persons loved one will be asked for permission for the visit to go ahead and where their preference is that it takes place.
Residents and family/friends are strictly to a maximum of two if using the screened visit and from the same household, social distancing must be respected at all times. Failure to do so on the visitors part will result in them being asked to leave. If an outdoor visit is taking place then we feel we should follow the guidance of the government in this respect and the visit can include up to five visitors for one resident, respecting social distancing rules and seating the resident 1M+ from the family.
Staff are to complete a Covid-19 visiting infection control check and record the visits in the correct way, this information will be kept for our track and trace records for 21 days only.
The difficult decision that the home has to make is balancing peoples right to a private and family life and seeing their loved ones against keeping their staff and the other residents safe, as well as other visitors to the home.
We have taken into account the changes being made on the guidance and review this on a continual basis. However, we have taken the strict precautions to keep outdoor/screened visits as our preferred visiting route as the lockdown eases to protect our staff and most importantly our residents, most of whom have complex health needs.
If family/friends wish to have an indoor visit it would need a LFD testing, planning and agreement with the care home manager and resident, as stated previous.
We encourage continued contact with friends and or family. We recognise our duty of care to our residents and staff and the resident involved with the planning and all risk assessments.
We recognise our duty of care to visitors; however, visitors are reminded of their responsibility to their own health and safety and that they must not at any time knowingly put themselves or others at risk.
Visiting times continue to be 30 minutes slots at 10am and11am, 7 days per week. We welcome children who can safely sit on an adults knee or have the knowledge to respect social distancing rules. We cannot currently accept pets.
Visiting out of house
We continue to follow the government and council guidance and receive daily briefs on visiting and how it is evolving and easing with the easing of restrictions. It is our aim to work closely with family and friends, but most importantly adhere to our residents wishes and views on visiting where appropriate.
Each person at Bleak House has their own risk assessment in place around visiting, both on and off the grounds of Bleak House. These are to be followed and both nominated family members will be briefed on the risk assessment in place if a visit out of the home is occurring. We only accept residents visiting their nominated persons out of the home if the nominated persons are tested on the day of the visit, evidence of this must be shown to Bleak House.
If it is deemed a resident is safe to visit a nominated person/s, they are only able to visit if the nominated person/s have had a LFD test on the day of the visit and this is a negative result. Residents are able to enter their nominated person/s home if a negative test can be proven to Bleak House. If a resident requires transport to and from a visit then arrangements can be made with Bleak House, this will be dependent on our diary commitments and our staff who hold a licence. For these residents, a staff member would be present for the visit. A nominated person is able to collect a resident in their vehicle but again, must show a negative test result to Bleak House on the collection of the person.
Residents who safely access the community independently are also able to visit their nominated persons in their garden or go for a walk with them. Again, a LFD test will need to be proven before these visits take place.
All those who do not require assistance when out in the community are able to wear a face mask, they also have the training and knowledge of when to use these.
Residents will have a LFD test completed before visits out of the home take place, they are only able to leave for the visit if the result is negative.
No visits will take place if a person is showing symptoms or is feeling unwell. This must be communicated to the home at your earliest opportunity or to the visiting family/friend if the resident is unwell. First and foremost our purpose is to keep our Bleak House family safe and well, we expect family and friends to adhere to the same request.
Admission
All admissions in a pandemic will be done alongside the government guidance. Self-isolation rules apply and testing if applicable.
Discharge from a hospital setting is strictly to self-isolate for 14 days.
Admission from the community or home setting are not strictly under the self-isolation rules but the home must take into account their background and home situation before making a decision. However, they must be fully vaccinated.
Staff
Staff who are unwell with suspected Covid-19 or who have come into contact with an infected individual or who share a household with someone who is unwell should not come to work but must comply with the latest Government advice about self-isolating themselves in their home.
In this home staff who develop symptoms of Covid-19 must:
· not attend work if they develop symptoms while at home (off-duty) — in such cases they should notify their line manager immediately and follow the stay at home guidance
· put on a surgical face mask immediately if they develop symptoms while at work, inform their line manager and return home
· comply with all requests for testing.
This home will take all reasonable measures to prevent the transmission of the Covid-19 virus via staff, including:
· ensuring that all staff are aware of the requirement not to come to work when there is a risk that they may spread infection in the workplace
· ensuring that staff are supported to self-isolate in line with Government guidance if they need to
· ensuring, where possible, that members of staff work in only one care home — this includes staff who usually work across different homes or staff that work on a part-time basis for multiple employers and agency staff
Current Visiting Policy
Regular contact with loved ones is essential for the mental and physical wellbeing of our residents and so we are pleased to be able to offer a range of visiting options for family members and friends.
All visitors are asked to follow our Visitor Policy, which includes a declaration and temperature check on arrival, use of PPE and observation of social distancing measures.
This visiting policy sets out the guidelines for each type of visit.
Screened Visits
Visits must be prebooked with Bleak House, two daily visiting times are available. Visits take place at 10am or 11am for 30 minutes, this allows a full IPC clean down takes place in-between visits.
Face masks are to be worn until seated.
Indoor Visits
Indoor visits may be scheduled with strict guidance and government guideline to be followed. If an indoor visit is agreed and scheduled; full PPE must be worn (Face mask, gloves and apron), a LFT test completed and the visitor is to wait outside of the building for 30 minutes until a clear result is shown, if the result is negative the visit can go ahead inside the medical room with full ventilation and full PPE.
Garden Visits
Family visits are taking place in the grounds at a designated area to the back of the garden. Visitors are required to prebook their visits. Visiting times apply, these are10am or 11am daily.
Face masks to be worn until seated.
Out of house visiting
All out of house visits are subject to a residents personal risk assessment and they are to strictly visit outdoors if safe to do so and only with their nominated individuals. However, they are able to access the toilet inside a building or home with the correct PPE i.e. face mask.
Out of house visits can also take place by means of a walk out in the community. Visits are subject LFT testing for our resident before they leave for the visit. Public transport can be used to access visits only if a resident is able to comply with PPE. No travelling in family cars.
We continue to also offer videocalls on a daily basis to ensure residents keep in touch with their nearest and dearest when a visit in person is not possible.
We allow children to visit if social distancing guidelines can be followed. We are not currently able to accept pets when visiting your loved one.
We are very happy. We have kept our 5 star rating in our kitchen!
Rachael did a wonderful job setting up our Macmillan Coffee Event and raised £278.60p. Thank you to everyone who donated money, cakes and gifts. Our residents had a great day and so did we!
Well Done Rachael!!
We have just had a lovely celebration with one of our residents who turned 60 years old on 8 November 2016.
As usual we celebrated Halloween in style with a fancy dress party and lots of food, drink and music. The event was held in our specially decorated Dining Room. Some of the decorations were provided by the residents from their activity group.
