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Registration Number: {{org_field_registration_no}}

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Visiting and Accompanying in Care Homes and Hospitals Policy

1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to establish clear guidance on how {{org_field_name}} supports individuals in visiting care homes, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities while ensuring their safety, dignity, and well-being. This policy supports compliance with the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016 and the Regulated Services (Service Providers and Responsible Individuals) (Wales) Regulations 2017 (as amended), and reflects Welsh Government statutory guidance for care home and domiciliary support service providers. It also supports our responsibilities under the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014, the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards where applicable), equality and human rights legislation, and data protection requirements.

We will act openly and transparently with individuals and their representatives (Duty of Candour), including providing timely information about incidents, offering an apology where appropriate, and sharing learning and outcomes in line with our governance arrangements.

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

• All service users receiving domiciliary support services who may require visits to care homes, hospitals, or other medical facilities.
• Care staff and support workers who facilitate, arrange, or accompany service users during such visits.
• Family members, advocates, and healthcare professionals involved in the process.

2.1 Definitions

For the purposes of this policy:

• “Accompanying” means a member of staff attending a health or social care setting with the service user to provide practical and/or emotional support and to help the person communicate their wishes.
• “Visiting” means supporting the service user to visit someone else in a hospital/care home/health setting, or supporting the service user to receive visitors where staff involvement is required.
• “Representative” includes family, friends, a person with legal authority (e.g., LPA/Deputy where applicable), an advocate, or Llais where involved.

3. Key Principles of Visiting and Accompanying

3.1 Person-Centred Approach to Visits

• Service users have the right to visit and be visited by family, friends, and advocates in care homes and hospitals in line with their personal choices and well-being.
• Visits are planned in collaboration with the service user, their family, and the receiving facility.
• Any cultural, religious, or personal preferences are taken into account, ensuring that visits respect the individual’s background.

3.2 Coordination and Communication

• We liaise with care homes and hospitals in advance to confirm:
  • Visiting policies and visiting hours.
  • Any specific health and safety requirements (e.g., infection control measures).
  • Arrangements for accompanying staff where needed.
• A designated care coordinator ensures smooth communication between service users, families, and healthcare providers.
• Consent and confidentiality: Before sharing personal information with a hospital/care home/other provider, staff must confirm the service user’s consent (or a lawful basis where the person lacks capacity) and share only the minimum necessary information for safe care.
• Information sharing: Staff must follow our confidentiality/data protection procedures when sharing care plans, risk assessments, medication information, and communication needs, and must record what was shared, with whom, and why.

3.3 Safety and Infection Control

• Staff supporting visits adhere to infection control protocols, including PPE use when necessary, as outlined in the Infection Prevention and Control Policy (DCW17).
• Service users are informed of any potential risks related to hospital or care home visits, including seasonal health concerns such as flu or COVID-19.

3.4 Accompanying Service Users to Healthcare Settings

When service users require accompaniment to hospitals or care homes, {{org_field_name}} ensures:

• A trained care worker is available to accompany them.
• A personalised risk assessment is conducted before each visit, identifying any mobility, communication, or cognitive challenges.
• Staff provide emotional and practical support, ensuring that service users feel comfortable and informed throughout the visit.

3.5 Advocacy and Decision-Making Support

We support service users to be fully involved in decisions about their health and care. Staff will:

• provide information in a way the person can understand and support communication needs (including preferred language and communication aids);
• support the person to access advocacy if they want it, including signposting to Llais (the Citizen Voice Body for Health and Social Care in Wales) where appropriate;
• follow the Mental Capacity Act 2005: presume capacity unless established otherwise, support decision-making, and where the person lacks capacity, ensure any actions/decisions are in their best interests and the least restrictive option;
• where a person lacks capacity, involve the appropriate representative(s) and record the capacity decision, best-interests rationale, and any restrictions needed for safety.

3.6 Emergency and Contingency Planning

• In the event of a hospital admission, care staff remain in contact with family members and healthcare professionals to ensure continuity of care.
• Staff document any significant changes in the service user’s condition during or after the visit and update care plans accordingly.
• A detailed log of the visit is maintained, including:
  • Date and time of visit.
  • Purpose and outcome of the visit.
  • Any concerns raised by the service user or their family.

Where an incident occurs during a visit/accompaniment (e.g., safeguarding concern, serious injury, allegation against staff, outbreak of infectious disease, police involvement), staff must escalate immediately in line with our safeguarding and incident procedures. Where applicable, the Responsible Individual/Registered Manager will ensure regulatory notifications are considered and made in line with statutory requirements.

3.7 Transport Arrangements

• Safe and comfortable transport is arranged through approved providers, ensuring accessibility for individuals with mobility needs.
• Where family members or advocates arrange transport, our staff coordinate schedules to ensure timely arrival and support.
• We prioritise cost-effective and safe travel arrangements, ensuring compliance with relevant health and safety regulations.
• Before travel, staff must confirm mobility needs, required equipment (e.g., wheelchair), falls risk, and any clinical risks (e.g., oxygen).
• If staff are permitted to use their own vehicle (where this is part of service arrangements), business insurance must be evidenced and recorded; otherwise approved transport providers must be used.
• Staff must not undertake unsafe transfers and must follow moving and handling plans and equipment requirements at all times.

4. Efficient Management of Visiting and Accompanying Procedures

4.1 Training and Staff Responsibilities

• All staff receive mandatory training on:
  • Safeguarding and infection control during visits.
  • Person-centred support during hospital appointments.
  • Effective communication and advocacy techniques.
  • Duty of candour (openness and transparency) and incident communication.
  • Language and communication support, including actively offering Welsh language services where applicable and supporting accessible information.
• Care workers log all visits in the service user’s care records to ensure accountability and transparency.

4.2 Monitoring and Quality Assurance

• Regular feedback is gathered from service users about their visiting experiences.
• The Quality of Care Review process assesses how well visits are being managed and whether improvements are needed.
• Spot checks are conducted by senior staff to ensure compliance with visiting policies.

4.3 Complaints and Concerns Management

• If a service user experiences issues during a visit (e.g., access restrictions, poor treatment in a hospital/care home), staff escalate concerns in line with the Complaints Policy (DCW14).
• Staff must also offer information (in an accessible format) about independent support to raise concerns, including Llais (Citizen Voice Body for Health and Social Care in Wales) and escalation routes such as the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales, as appropriate.
• All incidents are documented and reviewed, with learning outcomes shared across the team to prevent future occurrences.

5. Related Policies

This policy should be read in conjunction with:

• Dignity and Respect Policy (DCW08)
• Consent to Care Policy (DCW09)
• Safeguarding Adults from Abuse and Improper Treatment Policy (DCW13)
• Emergency and Business Continuity Plan (DCW19)
• Infection Prevention and Control Policy (DCW17)
• Mental Capacity and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards Policy (DCW39)

6. Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed at least annually to ensure it remains current, effective and compliant with the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016, the Regulated Services (Service Providers and Responsible Individuals) (Wales) Regulations 2017 (as amended), Welsh Government statutory guidance, and CIW requirements (including inspection frameworks and ratings arrangements). It will also be reviewed sooner where there are relevant changes to legislation or guidance, learning from incidents/safeguarding/complaints or duty of candour processes, feedback from individuals, representatives, advocates (including Llais) or staff, or outcomes from audits and CIW inspection findings. Any updates will be approved by the Registered Manager and/or Responsible Individual, communicated to staff, and embedded through supervision, team communication and training., or business needs require updates. Staff and stakeholders will be notified of any amendments.

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Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}} {{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}
Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}
Next Review Date: {{next_review_date}}
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