Review of CQC Regulation 9A: visiting and accompanying in care homes, hospitals and hospices
Applies to England
Read the full outcome
Detail of outcome
Maintaining meaningful contact with family and friends is essential for the health and wellbeing of people in care settings.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) introduced Regulation 9A, a new Care Quality Commission (CQC) fundamental standard on visiting and accompanying in care homes, hospitals, and hospices. This regulation came into force in April 2024 and aims to ensure that:
- people in care homes, hospitals or hospices can receive visits from people they want to see
- care home residents are not discouraged from taking visits out of the home
- people attending outpatient appointment can be accompanied by a family member, friend or supporter if they would like to be
DHSC has conducted a post-implementation review to assess the effectiveness of the regulation, gathering evidence from individuals, professionals, organisations and advocacy groups. The call for evidence provided vital information which has informed the overall review outcome.
The review found strong consensus that visiting and accompanying are vital for wellbeing, trust and recovery, and that restrictions can cause distress and harm. While Regulation 9A has helped to clarify expectations, reinforce good practice and provided legislative protection for visiting and accompanying, the review found mixed views on its effectiveness in practice.
DHSC has identified 6 important areas for development:
- data
- awareness and understanding
- decision making processes
- communication of restrictions by providers
- distinction between ‘visitor’ and ‘care supporter’
- monitoring and enforcement
The outcome report sets out the findings of the review and the work DHSC will take forward to address these gaps. This work aims to ensure Regulation 9A is more effective and support a change in culture and practice to embed Regulation 9A in health and care settings. This is vital to ensuring that the rights of people in health and care settings to see their loved ones are upheld consistently and transparently, supporting person-centred care and meaningful connections.
The post-implementation review pro forma is published on legislation.gov.uk.
Original call for evidence
Call for evidence description
This call for evidence will inform the review of Regulation 9A of The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 on visiting and accompanying in care homes, hospitals and hospices.
The review will consider whether, since coming into force on 6 April 2024, Regulation 9A has been effective in meeting its objective to make sure:
- people staying in a care home, hospital or hospice can receive visits from people they want to see
- people living in a care home are not discouraged from taking visits outside the home
- people attending appointments in a hospital or hospice, that do not require an overnight stay, can be accompanied by a family member, friend or advocate if they want someone with them
As part of the review, the Department of Health and Social Care has launched a call for evidence seeking the views of:
- individuals sharing personal views and experiences (such as a patient, care home resident, carer or member of the public who has visited someone in a care home, hospital or hospice)
- individuals sharing professional views (such as a member of staff at a care home, hospital or hospice)
- organisations representing the interests of patients, care home residents or carers
- care home, hospital or hospice provider organisations
This survey is about visits from and accompaniment by family members, friends, partners, advocates, carers, volunteers such as befrienders, and any person visiting to provide support or companionship to the service user. It is not considering access to visiting professionals, including care workers.
This survey is about visiting and accompanying in England only.
The responses will be used to inform the outcome of the review of Regulation 9A.
An easy-read version of the call for evidence will be published soon.
Documents
Updates to this page
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Added link to the post-implementation review pro forma.
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Added response to call for evidence.
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First published.