Coronavirus

We want to reassure those we provide housing, care and support for, that we are doing everything we can to keep people safe during this time.

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Coronavirus

Last reviewed: 03 June 2021

While we endeavour to keep this content as up to date as possible, please consult local services if you have any specific questions – particularly in relation to visiting.

Click on the links below to go straight to the latest updates for each of our services:

Care Homes & Reablement Centres
Extra Care Housing & Woodland Court Retirement Living Village
Community Services
Sheltered Housing
Repairs & Maintenance
Media Enquiries

Care Homes and Reablement Centres

Visitor guidance

At Brunelcare we understand how difficult this year has been for our residents, guests, their families and friends, especially because of the restrictions placed on visiting in care homes and reablement centres. We also recognise that relatives and friends are our partners in the care of those living in our care homes and reablement centres.

We remain committed to enabling and supporting visiting that is as meaningful and safe as possible, and we recognise that visiting is an essential, integral part of your loved one’s care.

We will continue to update, inform and involve all relatives with regard to visiting in our care homes and reablement centres, and will remain responsive to the dynamic challenges Covid-19 presents at the moment (and is likely to continue to do so for some time to come). Click the links below to read our visiting procedures.

We appreciate your cooperation in carefully opening up our care homes and in order to ensure the safety of everyone we ask that you follow this guidance and any requests from the team.

Outward visiting

Following updated Government guidance, residents can now leave care homes to spend time outdoors, without needing to isolate upon their return. As a result, named visitors are able to accompany residents on outdoor trips with specific measures in place.

Resident Outward Visits Guidance

Admissions

Our Care Homes and Reablement Centres will remain open to new admissions where not in an outbreak situation.

Contact details

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your relevant home directly:

Deerhurst

Glastonbury

Little Heath Care Home

Little Heath Reablement Centre

Orchard Grove Reablement Centre

Robinson House

Saffron Gardens

Extra Care Housing & Woodland Court Retirement Living Village

All planned care and support will continue to be delivered by our on-site teams.

Following the further relaxation of Government restrictions on 17 May 2021, our Extra Care Housing and Woodland Court retirement living village can now accommodate the following:

  • Visiting for six people or two households at a time
  • Outdoor activities for up to 30 people
  • Restaurants reopening with restrictions in place
  • Communal lounges open for tenants for groups of up to six people
  • Support activities lead by employees for up to 15 people remain in place for planned indoor support activities
  • Up to six people can travel in scheme minibuses
  • Guest rooms now available to book

Please continue to follow government guidance, including only meeting indoors as follows:

  • In a group of up to 6 from any number of households (children of all ages count towards the limit of 6)
  • In a group of any size from up to two households (each household can include an existing support bubble, if eligible)

Please also continue to:

  • Wash hands – keep washing your hands regularly
  • Cover face – wear a face covering in enclosed spaces
  • Make space – stay at least 2 metres apart – or 1 metre with a face covering or other precautions
  • Fresh air – it’s safer to meet outside. If you are indoors, open windows and let fresh air in

Community Services

Visits to our community clients continue. It may be necessary to make temporary changes to visits so we can ensure the needs of our most vulnerable clients are taken care of first.

We will ensure our clients are communicated with about any such changes.

Where clients are clinically extremely vulnerable we will work hard to minimise the number of carers who complete their daily visits to reduce the level of risk.

Sheltered Housing

From 17 May 2021, communal lounges and kitchens will begin to be reopened. Please check with your Housing Officer for plans for your site.

Please continue to follow government guidance, including only meeting indoors as follows:

  • In a group of up to 6 from any number of households (children of all ages count towards the limit of 6)
  • In a group of any size from up to two households (each household can include an existing support bubble, if eligible)

Please also continue to:

  • Wash hands – keep washing your hands regularly
  • Cover face – wear a face covering in enclosed spaces
  • Make space – stay at least 2 metres apart – or 1 metre with a face covering or other precautions
  • Fresh air – it’s safer to meet outside. If you are indoors, open windows and let fresh air in

As coronavirus restrictions are relaxed, it continues to be vitally important that any Brunelcare tenant with concerns about paying rent, bills, or if you have any money worries, or continue to self isolate/have symptoms of coronavirus, that you contact a member of our team to discuss your situation. This will help us understand what help and support you will need to ensure that you can sustain your tenancy with Brunelcare. The Government has been clear that it is critical that you continue to follow the terms of your tenancy and pay your rent and service charges during these unprecedented times.

Repairs & Maintenance

In line with the Governments road map out of lockdown, we will begin to ease internal restrictions on our repairs service on 17th May and reintroduce a number of routine repairs.

Initially, the routine repairs will be the ones we are already aware of and have been held on our backlog list. If you have logged a routine repair with us during the most recent lockdown, either directly or via a member of staff, you will receive a phone call to confirm if the repairs are still required and will be given an indication as to when that repair will be assessed.

We will continue to attend emergency repairs during this period. Providing the road map continues on a positive trajectory, we will be able to accept new routine repairs from 21st June.

Your assistance and understanding during this period is greatly appreciated.

Tenants and residents should continue to report emergency repairs, in the normal way. This includes:

  • No heating or hot water
  • Major roof leaks
  • Uncontainable or containable plumbing leaks
  • Gas leaks
  • Blocked drains
  • Serious electrical faults
  • Broken/jagged glass
  • Toilet not flushing where there is only one in the property
  • Insecure front door or windows
  • Door entry system not working
  • Shower repairs where resident unable to use a bath
  • Dangerous walls or fencing
  • Replacement light bulbs
  • Lift breakdown/entrapments

Brunelcare’s controlled distance process

Media Enquiries

All media/press enquiries should be direct to:

Matthew Bell, Marketing and Business Development Director
matthew.bell@brunelcare.org.uk

More Information

If you have any concerns about visiting a Brunelcare site, or about a loved one, please contact the management team at that location.

If in doubt, email: info@brunelcare.org.uk or call 0117 914 4200.