2nd December 2020
Following the publication of the Health Surveillance Protection Centre (HSPC) updated Guidance on Visitations to Long Term Residential Care Facilities on 30th November, the Irish Association of Social Workers call on the Irish Government to follow the examples of many of their European counterparts and fund, invest and resource safe visiting spaces in Irish residential settings. This is necessary to reconnect residents with families for lengthier periods on a more frequent basis than that proposed in the HSPC guidance.
The fundamental need and right to human connection with the people we love is presented in the HSPC guidance as something to be measured, determined & assessed, under the core grounds for compassionate visiting. The IASW rejects this concept and clearly recognises the rights of all residents, under Article 12 of the UN Universal Declaration on Human Right and Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights to the right to a private and family life.
A single one- hour visit per week with one family member in Level 3 and 4, diluted in Level 5 to a one- hour visit with one family member per fortnight, as proposed in the HSPC guidance, with arbitrary interpretation of compassionate grounds by service providers, clearly fails to meet those human rights. The government have not clarified the consequences should a service provider fail to comply with the guidance.
Ireland can look to Europe for examples of investment in safe visiting practices, supported by increased investment in PPE & infection control measures, rapid testing, and safe visiting spaces.
In Wales, the Health Minister has announced 3 million euro of funding for visitor pods to facilitate regular visiting, as an interim measure, pending longer term investment in visiting support.
In Germany, investment in visiting spaces, infection control and rapid testing has facilitated up to two visits per day for residents.
In Scotland, the government has recommended four-hour indoor visits with one person and garden visits with up to two households composing of six people on a weekly basis.
The Scottish government have also introduced the concept of protected touch between family members and residents in need of physical comfort.
In comparison, the Irish Government has selected the lowest possible level of visiting arrangements with the lowest number of people and has failed to fund any capital expenditure to develop safer visiting spaces, despite the known negative impact of visiting restrictions on the physical, mental, social and emotional well- being of residents.
It is unfortunate that the HSPC failed to engage with key stakeholders with social work safeguarding expertise when drawing up the guidelines. Social workers know that while family visits primarily provide love and connection for residents, family members also act as a watchdog of the quality of care residents receive. Visits provide an opportunity for residents to confide worries about care to those they trust most. The continued failure to view family members as care partners rather than visitors, leaves 32,000 people in Irish residential placements in a far more isolated position, than residents in other countries.
The Irish Association of Social Workers call for immediate government action to ensure that family visits are an integral and resourced component of care. Equal investment in connection and protection is required if we truly value people living in residential settings.
Aine McGuirk
Chair of IASW
Press Contact: Sarah Donnelly through the IASW Office: 086 024 1055
Notes to Editor
The Irish Association of Social Workers (IASW) is the professional body representing social workers in the Republic of Ireland. There are over 4,000 registered social workers in Ireland. This includes staff working in the Health & Social Care sector, in education and training, in the voluntary sector and a number of independent practitioners.
