People's experiences of visiting care homes in Oxfordshire since COVID-19 guidelines changed in 2022
Download (PDF 350.45 KB)Summary of report content
Healthwatch Oxfordshire wanted to understand how people’s experiences of visiting relatives in care homes had changed since the government changed its guidance on care home visiting in March 2022. They ran a survey from March to May 2022 to which 28 people responded.
People said that most care homes continued to require visitors to wear a face covering, show a negative Covid-19 test result, and use hand sanitiser when they visited. A few people commented that care home staff also asked to check their temperature or gave them a form to fill in before entering.
Three quarters were expected to contact the care home in advance of their visit. Most care homes are applying government Covid-19 guidelines to allow more visitors whilst keeping residents and their family members safe. Most people felt safe or very safe when visiting a care home.
Most people felt care home staff listened to them and their loved one. They also said they were satisfied with the quality of communication about their loved one’s care and how staff had informed them of changes in guidelines.
Most people felt their loved one was being treated respectfully, kept safe, and had their physical and emotional needs met. However, several people felt that staff shortages were having a negative impact on the quality of their loved one’s care and their overall safety.
People felt that areas that worked well included those care homes that had kept residents safe and provided high quality care, continuing to organise activities in the care home, and making sure it was safe to visit.
The report concludes with two recommendations and a response from Oxfordshire County Council.