Please read this guidance with:
- local restriction tiers: what you need to know, which provides information about the tier system that will be in place from Wednesday 2 December, including what you can and cannot do in each tier. National restrictions still apply until December 2
- guidance on shielding and protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable from COVID-19, which provides updates to section 2 and annex A
Summary of changes in this version
This note outlines the changes made to ‘Admission and care of residents during COVID-19 incident in a care home’, originally published on 2 April 2020.
| Number | Guidance section | Overview of changes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction | Updated in line with recent policy announcements |
| 2 | 1. Admission, isolation and testing of residents | Updated advice on isolation of residents on admission
Updated testing guidance. Includes additional information on testing for residents and staff and managing outbreaks, where to go for further information, and Test and Trace service |
| 3 | 2. Caring for residents, depending on their COVID-19 status and particular needs | Updated advice on monitoring residents for COVID-19 symptoms, and supporting residents who have been exposed to a COVID-19 case
Updated advice on supporting symptomatic residents. Includes additional information on isolation procedures, engagement with the health protection team, and supporting residents who require hospital care Additional information on primary care and community health services for residents, and supporting residents without relevant mental capacity |
| 4 | 3. Reporting of COVID-19 cases and outbreak management | Additional information on Health Protection Team engagement and advice on admission during an outbreak |
| 5 | 4. Care for people at the end-of-life and after death | Additional information on end-of-life care and end-of-life plans |
| 6 | 5. Advice for staff | Updated advice for staff. Includes additional information on PPE, workforce restrictions, Test and Trace for staff, staff with symptomatic family members, and what staff should do if they test positive or negative for COVID-19
Updated advice for care home managers. Includes further information on sick leave policies and training |
| 7 | 6. National support available to implement this guidance | Additional information on the Adult Social Care Infection Control Fund and care homes support package |
| 8 | Annex A: COVID-19 symptoms and higher risk groups | Additional information on additional COVID-19 symptoms, NHS mutual aid, and presentation of symptoms in different groups of people |
| 9 | Annex B: definitions of COVID-19 cases and contacts | Additional information on additional COVID-19 symptoms, definition of ‘contacts’, ‘outbreaks’ and care homes seeking advice from health protection teams |
| 10 | Annex C: isolation of residents during periods of sustained transmission | Updated advice on isolation procedures |
| 11 | Annex D: infection prevention and control (IPC) measures | Additional information on using single-resident use devices, PHE support and cleaning and waste disposal |
| 12 | Annex E: restricting workforce movement and minimising workforce transmission | New section. Updated advice on workforce restrictions to minimise the risk of workforce transmission. Includes additional information and recommendations for staff to reduce the risk of asymptomatic transmission |
| 13 | Annex F: provision and use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) | Updated advice on PPE distribution and utilisation
Additional information on support available to the care sector, hand hygiene, and respiratory and cough hygiene |
| 14 | Annex G: decontamination and cleaning processes for care homes with possible or confirmed cases of COVID-19 | Additional information on cleaning equipment and disinfectant |
| 15 | Annex I: use of the Capacity Tracker | Updated advice on using the Capacity Tracker |
| 16 | Annex J: interim COVID-19 Waste Management Measures | New section. Additional information on the management of healthcare waste from care home settings |
| 17 | Annex K: moving from the community into a care home | New section. Additional information on testing individuals moving from the community into a care home |
To read the full guidance please click here
