Calls for a change in the law to give care home residents the legal right to unrestricted visits from a care giver have been dashed by the government.
Arriving towards the end of a Westminster meeting between cross-party MPs and campaign groups (including Rights for Residents, John’s Campaign, and the Relatives & Residents Association) in early March, care minister Gillian Keegan told attendees that it was “not as simple as putting laws in place”.
The minister’s response was labelled “dismissive” by some of those present, many of whom have been calling for action after the Covid pandemic saw their access to dying relatives being severely restricted.
Ruthie Henshall, whose mother passed away in care during the pandemic, said that she would not give up until the law was changed to ensure “that nobody in care is ever on their own again”.
Rights for Residents co-founder Diane Mayhew said the minister’s response had left her “saddened and devastated”, adding that “I think it’s unfortunate that [the minister] could only spare us fifteen minutes and unfortunately those fifteen minutes were at the very end and it was after everyone had spoken, so she hadn’t heard all the devastating stories and trauma that people have been through.
“I think as the care minister to say that she gets it when she clearly doesn’t is quite offensive. I got quite emotional when she said that because it’s coming up to the anniversary of my dad’s death and I didn’t even get to say goodbye to him.”
