Concerned mother demands government review of care home isolation rules
The concerned mother of a man with complex needs is calling on the government to change its rules on isolation for care home residents.
Jake Wright, 25, has learning disabilities and cerebral palsy and lives in a special residential setting in Formby, Merseyside.
Covid rules do now allow the Everton fan to visit family, but he must isolate for two weeks when he returns.
His mum says the positive effects of a visit to his family's home are quickly undone when he is forced to isolate for a fortnight each time he returns to care.
Shakila Adhyaru has described it as a "slap in the face" at a time when the rest of the country is coming out of lockdown.
Jake has been fully vaccinated and is already allowed to have two visitors at the care home.
His mother believes he is being discriminated against and is calling on government ministers to change the rules.
She has written to local MPs to ask them to raise the issue in Westminster.
Bill Esterson, the Labour MP for Sefton Central, told ITV Granada Reports: "The Care Minister is saying this is under review. Well get on and review it. Start treating residents decently.
"Why is it that staff can come in to work and work that day? But residents have to go into quarantine if they've just gone home for lunch or dinner or just out for the day with residents. It makes no sense and the government needs to fix it."
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said "We understand contact with family and friends is vital to the health and wellbeing of residents and we are doing everything we can to provide safe opportunities to meet.
“As part of the roadmap out of lockdown we have updated guidance for care homes to support residents to enjoy out of care home visits in the safest way possible, while also providing more opportunities for visits to take place in care homes.
“Guidance on visits out of care homes will be kept under review including, when the data shows it is safe, the requirement for residents to isolate on their return from a visit."
The government says it will continue to review the evidence as with all elements of the roadmap out of lockdown.
However, it is unlikely any further changes to external visiting policy will be made before the next step on 17th May.