Visits for older care home residents to resume in early March

Families will be able to make regular indoor visits to older loved ones in Scottish care homes from early March.

The Scottish government confirmed residents will be allowed two designated visitors.

They will be able to visit the care home once a week, wearing PPE including face coverings.

It follows increasing calls from families to allow them to visit vulnerable relatives after almost a year of restrictions.

All residents have received the first dose of the vaccine and the latest data shows that Covid deaths in care homes for older people are falling.

Scotland's Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said while protection was in place, people must remain "vigilant about the risks".

As well as wearing PPE, visitors will be "strongly encouraged" to take a Covid test before entering homes.

Visiting may be restricted in certain circumstances, for instance if there is a Covid outbreak in a care home.

Guidelines will be published on Wednesday which will set out an expectation for care providers to facilitate visits.

Scottish care homes were first advised to close to visitors at the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020.

Only essential indoor visits are currently permitted, with many people only able see their loved ones through windows or outside, if at all.

The Scottish government said it was aware that restricted contact between residents and their families could contribute to loneliness, isolation and "worsening physical and mental health".

"With the range of protections in place against Covid, the bigger risk now is the continued separation of residents from loved ones," it added.

The decision to ease visiting restrictions comes after new data pointed to the effect of the vaccine rollout on the Covid death rate in care homes.

Statistics published by the National Records of Scotland shows that Covid deaths in care homes are falling as a proportion of the total number of deaths.

Ms Freeman, the health secretary, said: "We deeply regret the deaths and other harm caused by coronavirus in our care homes, but we also recognise the harm caused to the wellbeing of residents and families as a result of an inability to see those they love.

"We must remain vigilant about the risks but with multiple layers of protection now in place the balance is in favour of allowing visits.

"Everyone, including visitors, has a responsibility to ensure that visits take place as safely as possible by continuing to follow safety advice."

She said she expected all care home to have "embraced" the updated guidance by the middle of March.

Donald MacAskill, chief executive of Scottish Care, said the pandemic has presented frontline care home staff and managers with "many challenges", but "undoubtedly the hardest has been keeping residents apart from family and friends".

He said: "We commit to working together to overcome any challenges and difficulties we might face and to support those who may still be anxious and fearful, so that together we can ensure that a painful period of separation can be replaced by greater togetherness."

Earlier this month Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie pushed the first minister to confirm a date for the reintroduction of care home visiting.

On the latest announcement, he said: "The opportunity for families to once again be together will be a great emotional relief after a year of separation.

"The challenge now is to make it happen after so many false dawns when families were promised access only to be denied later. I will be watching very closely to make sure this promise is kept."

Scottish Conservatives shadow health secretary Donald Cameron called on minister to ensure the guidance is "clear and practical" so the return of visitors can "operate as smoothly and safely as possible."

Scottish Labour's shadow health secretary Monica Lennon said the isolation of residents who were in some cases at the end of their lives was a "human rights scandal".

She said: "This is a welcome step in the right direction. Guidance, however, has fallen short before. Too many care providers and public health directors have brushed it aside. This can't happen again."