COVID-19 guidance for care homes

Care home visiting guidance

The government has issued  updated guidance which supersedes previous guidance on visiting policies for care homes: Infection prevention and control in adult social care: COVID-19 supplement.

Update on changes to the management of COVID-19

Health and social care staff

There continues to be requirements for health and social care staff.

Information for healthcare staff is consolidated and available at COVID-19: managing healthcare staff with symptoms of a respiratory infection.

Information for staff and residents in adult social care is available at COVID-19 testing for adult social care services.

Details on how to access symptomatic and asymptomatic testing. This should be read with infection prevention and control in adult social care settings.

All healthcare staff who have received a positive COVID-19 test result, regardless of whether they have symptoms, are advised not to attend work for 5 days. They should follow guidance for people with a positive COVID-19 test result.

Staff who are identified as a household or overnight contact of someone who has had a positive COVID-19 test result should discuss ways to minimise risk of onwards transmission with their line manager.

Household or overnight contacts of someone who has had a positive COVID-19 test result it can take up to 10 days for your infection to develop. It is possible to pass on COVID-19 to others, even if you have no symptoms.

Adult social care

Updates to COVID-19 testing in Adult Social Care

It is vital that everyone continues to follow the simple steps to keep themselves and others safe.

Full information about what to do if you or your staff receive a positive LFD test result can be found in the COVID-19 supplement to the IPC resource for adult social care.

For details of COVID-19 symptoms and when symptomatic testing is needed, see COVID-19 supplement to the infection prevention and control (IPC) resource for adult social care.

Accessing treatment

Find out more about treatments for COVID-19.

Access community-based treatments for COVID-19 29 March 2023.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) can make anyone seriously ill. But for some people, the risk is higher and there is some guidance for people whose immune system means they are at higher risk.

People who are eligible for COVID-19 treatments include those at greater risk. The NHS has produced a list of who is at high risk from COVID-19.

Supporting people at higher risk

The NHS has advice for people at high risk from COVID-19.

COVID-19 admission and care of people in care homes

Read the latest government information on care homes admission and care in Infection prevention and control in adult social care: COVID-19 supplement.

Further guidance on hospital discharge and community support was published on 31 March 2022.

Guidance for protecting care home staff is also found in the Infection prevention and control in adult social care: COVID-19 supplement and should be read with infection prevention and control in adult social care settings.

The Care Provider Alliance has produced guidance on COVID oximetry for care home residents. Health Education England and West of England AHSN have also produced training and support for care home staff using pulse oximetry.

Care homes should have a weekly check-in with the home’s Primary Care Network (PCN) or multidisciplinary team, who can support staff to understand the RESTORE2 and NEWS2 scoring system as a way of monitoring residents with symptoms. If a patient’s symptoms worsen, it is important to contact NHS 111 or the registered GP for a clinical assessment either by phone or face to face.

Visiting arrangements in care homes

When professionals visit care homes, due to VCOD they are not required to provide vaccination status.

The updated guidance, Section 1.3 reflects regulations revoking vaccination as a condition of deployment which came into force on 15 March 2022. People working or volunteering in care homes are no longer required to have received a COVID-19 vaccine to enter the premises.

Information for professionals visiting care homes is also available at Infection prevention and control in adult social care: COVID-19 supplement.

Restricting movement between care homes and other settings

The guidance recognises that movement continues to be a concern for transmission of infection between settings although movement is not prohibited except in Outbreaks. It therefore continues to advise care home providers to limit routine staff movement between care homes and other health and care settings.

The updated guidance can be found at: Infection prevention and control in adult social care: COVID-19 supplement

Care homes resource pack

This pack has been developed to provide clear guidance for London Care Homes aligned with NHS 111 Star lines and London COVID-19 Resource Pack for Primary Care, ensuring that national guidance and good practice can be embedded locally by care providers. Download the Care homes resource pack.

Discharge into care homes for people who have tested positive for COVID-19

Discharge guidance is dealt with in Infection prevention and control in adult social care: COVID-19 supplement.

Designated Settings guidance has been superseded by Infection prevention and control in adult social care: COVID-19 supplement. This clarifies discharge from hospital into a care home, testing and admission and isolation and visitors to prevent possible introduction of infection into the care home. Information about hospital outbreak status should be provided as part of the discharge process.  

Hospital discharge and community support guidance - GOV.UK and D2A 6 May 2022 - updates to reflect changes to hospital discharge guidance following the end of the national discharge fund.

Care Homes should refer to the updated Hospital discharge and community support guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

View a Patient leaflet on leaving hospital to go to another place of care.

Procedure for reporting positive COVID-19 cases in the care home

Care homes can find the procedure for reporting positive COVID-19 cases below.

If you have a rapid rise in cases who are very unwell and it is difficult to manage the situation, or residents who are hospitalised or there are unexpected deaths, please contact your Local Authority or your local Health Protection Team and further support can be provided. 

Find details of your local Health Protection Team.

View the Adult Social Care collection guidance with latest updates.

Quick accessible infection and prevention control guide for managers and staff in care homes.

What to do now

• Inform your Local Authority Adult Social Care Team
• Update your Capacity Tracker
• Conduct a risk assessment – is this a new outbreak? (2 or more positive cases of COVID-19, within the same setting within a 14-day period and where the cases are linked to transmission in the care setting)
• Isolate the suspected or confirmed COVID-19 case and identify any close contacts
• Ensure all staff comply with infection control precautions and PPE be worn correctly

Guidance on COVID-19 changed on 30 March 2023. Therefore please read the guidance documents carefully. 

• Infection prevention and control: resource for adult social care
• COVID-19 supplement to the infection prevention and control resource for adult social care

Begin outbreak testing (if applicable) as directed in the guidance – test the first 5 suspected cases only (residents) by LFD.

Review visiting as per guidance.  Visiting can still continue, please see section 'Visiting arrangements in care homes' in COVID-19 supplement to the infection prevention and control resource for adult social care.

Please report to SWL Health Protection Team and LA contacts:

• A new outbreak (two or more linked cases) of COVID-19
• A suspected acute respiratory outbreak and symptomatic individuals are COVID-19 negative
• A new or ongoing outbreak of respiratory illness, including COVID-19 with where there is serious illness, hospital admissions or deaths
• If you are concerned that the outbreak is not under control, where there is increasing complexity or a rising tide of cases
• Please speak to your usual contact in the local authority for admission-related queries during outbreaks.
• Update Capacity Tracker all cases of residents and staff, both confirmed and symptomatic

View the Residential and Nursing Care Residents - Suspected Coronavirus Pathway. 

Find help and support if you have long COVID - 29 March 2023

View a video explaining How to wash your hands.

For guidance on admission to care homes and how to protect care home residents and staff during the coronavirus outbreak, view the Infection prevention and control in adult social care: COVID-19 supplement.