The government is being accused of not going far enough in its decision to allow visitors into care homes.

Care home visits, which had been halted during the pandemic, were given the green light on Wednesday.

However, the government said visits should be limited to a single constant visitor per resident, wherever possible. It will be down to local officials to decide when it is safe to reopen.

Charities say there is no “clear direction” from the government on care home visits and responsibility has been passed to overstretched local decision-makers.

The Alzheimer’s Society chief executive, Kate Lee, wants care home residents to have “designated family carers” with whom they can be in close contact.

Ms Lee said: “We still feel that there’s a desperate need for the key family carer to be given special status and to be tested so they can work with their loved one.”

The Department for Health and Social Care says its priority is protecting patients and that the visiting policy should still be restricted with “alternatives sought wherever possible”.

A spokesperson said: “All our guidance is designed to ensure each individual’s needs are addressed and they are treated with dignity and respect. This guidance sets out the appropriate actions that should be taken when close contact is necessary, including extra PPE.”

Simon Walls, the clinical lead at Saint Cecilia’s Nursing Home, said many homes aren’t ready for visitors. He warned that “until we can get testing sorted” it’s “probably too soon” to allow visitors.

Mr Walls said: “There’s a lot of things that we have to put in place, extra PPE for people that are visiting. The government has put down that it’s one family member only where possible, but not all family dynamics are exactly perfect so it could upset some people as well as please some people.”

He described the changes as “quite scary” and said more measures need to be in place before visiting can be allowed at his homes in Scarborough.

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