BANNING RELATIVES FROM CARE HOMES: JUST POOR PRACTICE?

The media have recently been highlighting cases were the relatives of residents are banned from the care home. Whilst there are no doubt some cases of poor practice, the media coverage does not address the full story. The Victoria Derbyshire BBC programme in November prompted new guidelines.

Why would relatives or other visitors need to have their visiting restricted or supervised, or even in extreme cases for visiting to be prohibited. Quite often, this is because the visitors are abusing staff or by their actions putting at risk their relative or other residents at the home. They could be inappropriately seeking to involve themselves in personal care, or trying to supply or administer unknown medication,they could just be generally acting in a way that is frustrating the proper management of the care home.

What rights does a care home have? Read the QSBD bulletin