Essential Care Giver

[Featherhands]

Hello!

My mother is in a nursing home with heart problems but is also going down hill with dementia.

It's been very hard on my father who is restricted from visiting her due to covid.

Today they sent us a very complicated letter about the new visiting rules that come in today.

He'd love to go and see her more but at present the rules are only once per week. Under this Essential Care Giver system, he'd be allowed to go in even when they're closed to visitors because of a covid outbreak etc.

The only thing I don't understand is these pcr tests that he'd need to do once per week. Is he able to get them free of charge? Can he get them as if he's a member of care home staff?

He can't travel to get them and by post it would appear to be £10 per week which considering what the care home costs is really quite a lot.

Anything anyone has heard would be gratefully received. i've asked the care home but they've not replied and he's worrying.

thank you!

The guidance is so complicated, We are in a similar situation so I am trying to read everything that is published.
In answer to your question, yes, as an essential care giver he should get the tests from the home www.gov.uk/government/publications/visiting-care-homes-during-coronavirus/update-on-policies-for-visiting-arrangements-in-care-homes

Thanks for your help and the link - that's really useful as it states this:

Essential care givers will need to follow the following testing arrangements. Essential care givers must:

take a weekly PCR test and share the result with the home. Care homes should use their existing PCR stocks to test essential care givers and these should be registered as ‘staff’ tests using the care home unique organisation number (UON) and be returned via courier with other staff tests
take a minimum of 3 lateral flow tests a week: one lateral flow test on the same day as a PCR test, one lateral flow test 2 to 3 days later, and and then again after another 2 to 3 days. These rapid lateral flow tests can be done onsite, at an asymptomatic testing site (ATS) or at home. These tests should be reported as ‘visitor’ using the care home UON
in line with care home staff, be subject to additional testing should the care home be engaged in rapid response daily testing or outbreak testing. If this includes lateral flow tests, these can be done at home. This testing must be conducted in accordance with the guidance for care home staff on PCR testing, rapid lateral flow testing (including rapid response testing) and outbreak testing.

It's all so so complicated for an 87 year old man with no smart phone (or the ability to use one more importantly) and living in an area with no public transport.

he's not at the carehome enough as he's only allowed to go once per week at the moment. hopefully they'll do it then and then he can do the lateral flow tests at home himself and send those by post.

He can't drive and he's worrying about how much he's relying on neighbours to drive him. they would do it but he hates asking.

streuth!