Care homes and villages
during coronavirus (COVID-19)
The safety of your loved one is our top priority. Here, you can get the most recent updates
on testing, vaccines and visiting our care homes.
Stay up to date with the latest news
The care and safety of our residents and staff is always our priority, and we continue to work hard to keep them safe. This hub has the latest information across our homes and villages to help relatives feel connected and informed about their loved ones. Please also follow your local Bupa care home or Richmond Village on Facebook to see the latest activities our residents are enjoying.
If you have any further questions, call our customer care team on 0345 6004 622^.
This page last updated: 15 February 2022
The latest on testing, vaccines and visiting
Over recent weeks the Government has relaxed COVID-19 restrictions across the UK. However, with high numbers of COVID cases still being reported, we continue to operate our care homes and villages with caution. In line with latest Government guidance we are welcoming visitors to our care homes and villages, where it is safe to do so and with the necessary precautions to keep your loved one, you and our people safe.
Home and Village Managers will continue to stay in touch with families to share local updates.
Visiting a care home
A resident can now welcome visitors, including their essential care giver if they have one. Visitors are required to book their visit in advance to enable us to manage the number of people in the care home, and will be required to take a COVID 19 Lateral Flow Test (LFT) before entering the home.
Designated visiting rooms (also known as pods) are also available for visitors who would prefer not to take a test. These rooms are the most secure option for minimising any risk of infection, and we have made them into warm, cosy spaces for you to comfortably visit your loved one.
If a home or village has positive cases of COVID 19 it is required to follow advice given by the local Health Protection Team. In these instances, we will facilitate Essential Care Giver visits and Home and Village Managers will be able to advise on further ways that families can stay connected to their loved one.
Testing and safety in our care homes
We continue to be fully enrolled in the Government’s regular testing programme for residents, staff and visitors. We apply strict infection control standards across our care homes and villages including increased cleaning and the appropriate use of PPE advised for care settings.
How we’re keeping our residents safe from COVID-19
We’re following strict infection control measures in all our homes
Frequent deep cleaning and testing are just some of the things we’re doing to prevent the spread of infection among our residents and staff.
We have all the necessary PPE to stay safe
All our homes have as much PPE as they need, and we don’t have any problems getting hold of it.
We’re helping residents to stay connected
We’re doing all we can to keep our residents in touch with their loved ones and the wider community. That means helping out with visits, telephone and video calls, letters, and Bupa Buddy.
Bupa Buddy
We’ve created Bupa Buddy, a service to make sure every elderly person has someone to chat to − about anything at all
This service is open to all elderly people, not just our care home residents. They don’t even have to be a Bupa customer.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, we are welcoming new residents into our homes and villages. If you do not have any symptoms of the virus, and our home or village is able to meet your needs, we may be able to assist you in finding a Bupa home or village (dependent on availability).
If you’re thinking about care, it can be difficult to know where to start. Our customer care team can guide you every step of the way, whether you have questions about care or need advice on funding. Please call us on 0345 600 4622. ^
For more information on choosing a care home, please visit - https://www.bupa.co.uk/care-services/choosing-a-care-home
^ Lines are open 8am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 12.30pm Saturday. Closed Sundays and bank holidays. Calls are charged at no more than local rate and count towards any inclusive minutes from mobiles. We may record or monitor our calls.
We have a new ‘meet and greet’ process for a new resident upon arrival, in line with Government and Public Health guidance. The new resident will receive a warm welcome by our staff on arrival to our home, wearing the necessary PPE, who will make them comfortable in their new home. Any isolation requirements for new admissions will be determined following a risk assessment carried out by the manager.
Our staff and Activity Coordinators have varied programmes of activities that residents can enjoy. Our staff will continue to wear PPE at all times. We are limiting the size of group activities and offering more one-on-one options to meet the necessary social distancing measures.
Keeping our residents and our people safe is our priority. We continue to have the necessary PPE required, allowing us to maintain high infection control standards. As per the latest guidance, our staff wear the necessary PPE advised for care settings.
Yes, we are taking part in the Government’s whole home testing programme, with all our homes and villages carrying out regular testing for residents and colleagues.
Where a resident tests positive, the resident will receive expert care within their own bedroom, from a small, dedicated team using full PPE.
Should a staff member test positive, they will immediately self-isolate away from the home or village.
For more general questions about how we’re responding to the coronavirus:
Expert advice and tips from our
COVID-19 articles and videos
Our videos and articles take an in-depth look at the coronavirus, offering straightforward insights and advice from our own medical experts.
There are also lots of helpful tips for maintaining physical and mental health during the pandemic.
What we’ve been up to:
highlights from our care homes
Over the last few months, it’s been a real team effort between our residents and staff to keep spirits high and make everything feel as normal as possible.
Here are just some of the activities and events that have been happening in our homes recently. To get ongoing updates, please also follow the relevant care home on Facebook.
Useful information
The following webpages may be helpful to you:
World Heath Organization
Statistics, situation reports, myth-busting, vaccine news and much more from the WHO’s coronavirus hub.
NHS
Information about prevention, symptoms, testing, treatment and vaccination.
Gov.uk − Coronavirus (COVID‑19)
The government’s coronavirus hub, with the latest facts and figures, announcements, advice and guidance − including for businesses.
^Lines are open 8am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 12.30pm Saturday. Closed Sundays and bank holidays. Calls are charged at no more than local rate and count towards any inclusive minutes from mobiles. We may record or monitor our calls.
