Since March, Buckland Care Homes have been closed to visitors to enable us to effectively shield our residents and keep them safe. We know how extremely difficult it has been for residents and relatives to not see their loved ones over the past few months and we thank you all for your understanding on this matter. We really do think it has played a huge part in keeping people safe. We wanted to update you on a few key issues.

Testing & PPE:

We are now being provided with large scale testing kits to enable us to test and re-test staff and residents regularly allowing us to react quickly and minimising the risk of an outbreak. We have ample PPE from a private source available for staff, residents and visitors to use if required.

New Admissions or New Staff Members:

Rest assured we are doing everything we can to keep the virus at bay in the care homes and any new admissions or new members of staff members are tested before entering the building. New staff are training in handling Coronavirus as well as Infection Control in their first few weeks.

Visits:

At some of our homes it has been possible to begin meeting visitors outside, respecting government guidelines of staying 2m apart and entering the gardens through a side gate. These visits must be booked in advance as we have limited space and need to ensure we keep to social distancing rules. The decision over when these visits can commence will vary home by home based on the local R rate, the government guidelines and accessibility of the home. Please contact the manager to see if we have been able to commence visits at your relative’s home and if you are interested in booking an appointment. Personal Protective Equipment and hand sanitiser is available for all visitors.

Please remember that the fight against the virus is not over and these visits will be under constant review and could change with no notice depending on the local or national situation. The wellbeing of our residents and staff must remain our priority during these challenging times.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Buckland Care Team