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28
Apr 2021
Andrew Jones urges care minister to ease 'restrictive' outdoor guidance
Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservative MP Andrew Jones has urged care minister Helen Whately to review care home guidance on outdoor trips.
The guidance says residents that leave homes must isolate for 14 day except for medical appointments or exceptional circumstances.
It has been widely criticised nationally and locally, including by care home residents, the Bishop of Ripon and the director of health and adult services at North Yorkshire County Council.
Nick Moxon, 32, who has cerebral palsy and is a resident at Disability Action Yorkshire‘s care home on Claro Road, Harrogate last week told the Stray Ferret he feels "trapped" and "treated like a lesser being" because of the guidance.
Now Mr Jones has described it as "too restrictive and not in the best interests of the health and wellbeing of our care home residents" and urged Whately to act.
Read more:
- Bishop of Ripon has 'grave concerns' over care home isolation
- Andrew Jones MP supports bid to reduce VAT on hospitality sector
Mr Jones revealed the news not on his official website but on Community News, a website he runs featuring local Conservatives.
He said "slow but positive improvements" meant care home residents could now receive two nominated visitors and hold hands with them
But he added the same could not be said for outdoors visits, which particularly impacted younger care home residents:
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