Visitor Policy

College Fields Nursing Home Visiting Policy during Covid-19

Version 5: 23/11/2021

At the present time, our Home is free from the Covid-19 virus. We continue to undertake a strict infection control policy and have been testing all of our staff three times a week.

We continue to look for your continued support to maintain our virus free environment and continue to protect our residents and staff, especially in light of the new variant strain.

The Welsh Government have set out guidelines for us to follow. Below are the issues we must address with our methods of compliance:

1. Visiting may be suspended as soon as a suspected or confirmed case of Covid-19 occurs in the Home. We will be communicating with our families via our website and Facebook page. So many families follow our Facebook page this has been the quickest and easiest route of communication. For visitors who may not this ability, we will be ensuring that they are told via another means of communication.

2. We have been changing the way in which we work frequently to comply with the ever-changing official guidance and to ensure that we are adhering to our statutory duties and relevant regulations.

3. We are implementing our strategies for visiting, which will be in our residents own rooms. Due to the size of the room and the need for adequate ventilation we are requesting that we have no more than two visitors at once

4. Our visits will continue to be via an appointment system.

5. Due to the required procedures visits are taking place between 10 am and 3 pm. This will ensure that the normal running of the home and our Residents routines can be maintained.

6. A lateral flow test will be required prior to the visit. You need to arrive 40 minutes prior to your appointment time or at a time that has been agreed with the Home.

7. We realise that not everyone will be able to see their loved ones as often as they would like, however, this does allow every resident to be visited every week. If you have any difficulties, with these appointment times, please contact our home manager Helen Randall or her deputy Emma Pinnell who will do their utmost to assist. In addition, we are allowing extra visits when there are spaces. We are also allowing longer visits where possible.

8. Video contacts will be continuing. Please contact the individual floor to book your appointment for a video link up via Facetime, WhatsApp, Zoom etc.

What you can expect when you visit:

1. Visits are currently Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday

2. You will need to telephone extension 200 to book an appointment. You will be asked for your details to ensure that we have the correct contact point, should we need to change or curtail your visit. You will be asked questions from our most updated Declaration of Health Form at the time of booking. At present we do not allow indoor visiting for any children who attend full time education or children who are below school age

3. We would ask that you are prompt at your arriving to the Home. This ensures that we can allow everyone their visit and that we are able to adequately sanitise and carry out infection control procedure prior to the following visit.

4. If you are unable to attend your appointment, please can you let us know as soon as possible. This may allow for another family to have a visit. It would be a great shame if the time were wasted.

5. If you have not already emailed into us a negative lateral flow test within the previous 24 hours, we will carry out a lateral flow test on you and all visitors. You will be asked to return to your car to wait the thirty minutes for the test to develop. A member of staff will then contact you with your result and if negative you will be able to carry out your visit. If you should test positive our staff will support you and give you advice on your next steps.

6. You will then be welcomed by a staff member. You will be asked to answer again the questions from the most updated Declaration of Health Form, and we will take your temperature.

7. There are no toilet facilities at the present time during visiting.

8. Once we have the result of your lateral flow test you will met in reception by one of our members of staff. Your outside coat should be left on the coat rack next to the front door and any shopping bags should be left at reception. You will be asked to sanitise your hands.

9. You will be given a clear face mask and asked to change from your mask to this one. You will be asked to keep this mask on at all times whilst in the house.

10. You will be escorted to the resident’s bedroom and the door will be closed.

11. Whilst the visit takes place the bedroom door will be closed and the window open.

12. You will be asked to wash your hand immediately on entering the room. We ask that you do not hug or kiss your loved one but you can sit next to them and hold their hands. The visit will be for a duration of thirty minutes.

13. We ask that you do not eat or drink during the visit.

14. At the end of the visit you will be asked to wash your hands before leaving the bedroom. You will then be escorted back to reception to collect your belongings.

15. Whilst the visit takes place the bedroom door will be closed and the window open.

16. If your loved one needs assistance from care staff whilst you are visiting, please do not leave the room, but call staff by using the nurse call bell and we ask that you stand immediately outside the bedroom door. Please do not go looking for staff or go to the nursing office. If you wish to discuss any matters with the nurse in charge, please phone them after your visit on the normal phone number

17. If we are unable to allow the visit (the Resident becomes unwell or we have a positive case in the Home or local restrictions are imposed), you will be contacted as soon as possible.

18. As and when policies are updated, we will keep you informed via our website and our Facebook page. Equally so you can communicate either by phone or the above options.

19. If visitors wish to bring in gifts, they should be handed in directly to reception staff. They must be in sealed unopened packages that can be sanitised and then allowed to air dry before the Resident can have it.