Publication - Advice and guidance
The Care Home Services (Visits to and by Care Home Residents) (Scotland) Regulations 2026: Anne's Law - code of practice 31 March 2026
'Anne’s Law’ describes a series of legal acts and regulations that give new duties to care homes to strengthen the rights of people living in adult care homes to see and spend time with people who are important to them. The code of practice explains how these duties should work day-to-day.
Annex D
Notification Checklist
Who must be notified
- The resident (in a way they can understand)
- The resident’s essential care supporter/s
- The resident named contact/next of kin
- Any person with power of attorney/guardianship
- Relevant staff team
- Care Inspectorate
- Chief Social Work Officer
How they could be notified
- Verbal communication (phone/in person) where urgent or where email etc not appropriate
- Email/text message
- Communication in accessible formats as required
- Social media (e.g. Facebook group/page) can be helpful but should not be relied upon as a means of communication
- Completion of relevant eForm (to notify the Care Inspectorate)
By when
- on the same day where possible, and no later than 24 hours
What must be included
- the start date and expected timeframe of the suspension of visiting
- the reasons for the visiting suspension
- who has been consulted about the suspension and what advice has been received (for example from a health protection team)
- whether some visits, for example by Essential Care Supporters, are ab le to supported
- contact details for the responsible person regarding any concerns
How it should be recorded
- who was notified, how, when and by whom
- any responses or objections