North East Herts MP Sir Oliver Heald has welcomed the government’s plans to ensure all residents in care homes and patients in hospitals will be able to have visitors in all circumstances.

Under the proposals, health and care settings regulated by the CQC will need to allow visiting except under very limited circumstances, such as a resident requesting to not receive visitors. In all circumstances a resident would be able to have at least one visitor. The Government is seeking views from patients, care home residents, their friends and families, professionals and service providers on the introduction of secondary legislation on visiting in health and social care settings.

Health and care services should already be allowing visits according to guidance from the Government and NHS England currently in place, but there are reported cases where visiting is still being restricted or denied. The new legislation will take the onus off families to challenge restrictions, by giving new powers to the Care Quality Commission.

Commenting, Sir Oliver said: “I would encourage my constituents to respond to this consultation which provides the opportunity for them to share their personal experiences as patients, service users and carers of those in health and care settings.”

The consultation can be found here Visiting in care homes, hospitals and hospices - Department of Health and Social Care (dhsc.gov.uk)