”.... Echoing those sentiments, Helen Wildbore, director of the Relatives and Residents Association, told

Hospitals must allow visitors" for at least one hour per day", new guidance says, after the NHS told leaders their policies should reflect the" living with Covid" plan. Previous guidance had said" careful visiting policies" were appropriate" while Covid-19 continues to be in general circulation". But NHS England has now told hospital bosses to accommodate visitors" for at least one hour per day and ideally for longer"." It is important to recognise the contribution that visiting makes to the wel

Two women whose fathers died from Covid-19 have won a High Court challenge against the Government over policies on discharging patients to care homes at the outset of the pandemic. Cathy Gardner, whose father Michael Gibson died, and Fay Harris, whose father Donald died, partially succeeded in their claims against the Health Secretary and Public Health England.In a ruling on Wednesday, Lord Justice Bean and Mr Justice Garnham concluded that policies contained in documents released in March and e

No patient should have to attend a hospital appointment alone, England’s chief nurse has said in response to ongoing Covid-19 restrictions against visitors. Over the past two years, hospitals have enforced strict visiting rules in response to the pandemic. However, despite the easing of restrictions across the country earlier this year, some hospitals have kept their doors shut to loved ones. Ruth May, the chief nursing officer for NHS England, issued a reminder to hospitals on Friday that they

The actress is calling for Gloria’s Law in honour of her late mother who died in May, aged 87, after being denied visitors for most of lockdown.... It is a blow to hundreds of thousands of families for whom I’m A Celebrity star Ruthie, 54, had become a voice of hope. She said: “ I am horribly disappointed after 578 days of locking down care home residents we are still in the same situation.... There has been no change and the loneliness and-isolation of those in care is ongoing.“ There are sti

Care home residents’ human rights have been “ completely handed over ” to care homes who have “ too much power ”, actress Ruthie Henshall has said. Experts compared the care sector to a “ Wild West ” as the Joint Committee on Human Rights heard evidence on the impact of visiting restrictions on vulnerable residents during the coronavirus pandemic. MPs and peers were hearing evidence as part of their new inquiry into protecting human rights in care settings. Henshall, whose mother Gloria died in

She died in May 2021 at 87.A probe found local authorities supported more than one million people with care needs at a cost of ￡23.7 billion in 2022/ 23.... There are around 500, 000 people awaiting attention on their case with concerns ￡2. 7bn in additional taxpayer funding allocated to ease pressures “ ended up increasing profit margins for some providers ”.... The committee says future reliance on overseas staff raises significant questions of the impact of proposed visa restrictions and ex

Government policies on discharging hospital patients into care homes at the start of the coronavirus pandemic were “ unlawful ”, the High Court has ruled, undermining claims that a “ protective ring ” was put in place for the most vulnerable. Two women who took legal action after their fathers died from Covid-19 – Cathy Gardner, whose father Michael Gibson died, and Fay Harris, whose father Donald died – partially succeeded in their claims against the Government on Wednesday. When the pandemic h

It is unacceptable that one in five care homes are still not meeting basic standards – the regulator must address these failings with urgency.“ With the financial pressures on the system getting worse, we fear this will lead to more homes being forced to close.... It is common practice for care providers to find reasons to evict or threaten to evict residents if family members raise concerns.... The number of new requests for local authority adult social care support resulting in no service be

Now social care has reached a pivot point( Image: GETTY) Around one in five care homes is failing, shock figures reveal.... Some 2, 662 of 14, 410 facilities under the jurisdiction of the Care Quality Commission watchdog are now ranked either “ inadequate ” or “ requires improvement ”.... ’ ” She added: “ Every day we hear how poor care is ruining people’s lives....