To ask the Minister of Health to detail the evidence under which care home visiting restrictions are being maintained, including with reference to the damage caused from not being able to see loved ones.

Residents and/or their representatives must be involved in the individual discussions and decision-making about their own situations. My Department’s visiting guidance for care homes here, “Visiting with Care - A Pathway”, sets out a graduated approach to the easing of visiting restrictions in all care homes in Northern Ireland.

The Pathway requires scheduled reviews, broadly every four weeks, in which Public Health professionals assess the risks impacting on visiting arrangements, and this informs the decision as to whether it is appropriate to move to the next stage of the pathway. The surveillance data considered in each review is detailed in the Pathway, and includes information and data on Community Prevalence, Care Home Outbreak Status, Care Home COVID-19 Testing Results, Mortality Associated with COVID-19 in Care Homes, Hospital Admissions and Vaccination Status of Staff and Residents in Care Homes.

Clear and regular communication with residents and families is key in the successful implementation of the pathway. Residents and relatives should be involved in decision making regarding the risks and benefits in facilitating visiting as well as the development of individual visiting care plans. This will facilitate an understanding that the arrangements required to safely manage visits to care homes must be aligned with the specifics of each individual’s needs, and reflect the guidelines contained in each stage of the “Pathway” process.

We are currently at the second stage of the Pathway, referred to as “Gradual Easing”, with the most recent of the rolling 4-weekly reviews having been completed on 13 January 2022. Further progression along the Pathway will be as fast as possible while fully taking into account the risks inherent in increasing footfall in care home settings.