South Shropshire MP Philip Dunne is calling on residents to participate in a consultation regarding the introduction of new legislation that would enable visitors in health and care settings.
The proposed changes aim to ensure that residents in care homes and patients in hospitals have the right to receive visitors in all circumstances, except in very limited cases such as where a resident explicitly requests not to receive visitors.
To ensure that the voices of South Shropshire residents are heard, Mr Dunne is encouraging constituents to participate in the consultation by sharing their views and experiences.
The consultation provides an opportunity for patients, service users, and the carers of those in health and care settings to contribute to the development of policies that prioritise the well-being of patients while addressing the needs of their loved ones
Philip Dunne MP said:
“I am supporting this move to make sure visitors are allowed into our hospitals and care homes.
“We all know of heart-wrenching examples of relatives being unable to visit their loved ones during the pandemic. This has led to increased suffering for those being cared for, many of whom were unable to understand why their loved ones were not with them during their days of most need. It also had some lasting mental health issues being suffered by family members unable to visit.
“Clearly there will need to be procedures in place to ensure visits take place safely without spreading infection, but this would seem to be a lesson we need to heed from the practical consequences of managing the COVID pandemic in healthcare and social care settings.”
Constituents can take part by clicking using the link below: