Anne's Law - code of practice: easy read
Easy read summary of the Anne’s Law Code of Practice. Anne’s Law gives care home providers new duties related to visiting. The Code of Practice explains how these duties should work day-to-day.
Chapter 4: Communication and Notifications
Importance of communication
Good communication is important between:
- care homes
- people living in a care home
- loved ones
This was a key theme during discussions about Anne’s Law.
Good communication is even more important when visits are stopped.
Anne’s Law says care homes must tell three sets of people when visits are stopped. This is called a ‘notification’.
The three sets of people to notify are:
- people who live in care homes, their Essential Care Supporters and their representatives
- the Care Inspectorate
- the local Chief Social Work Officer
Notifying People who Live in a Care Home and Essential Care Supporters
Care homes must quickly tell the people most affected when visits are stopped, including:
- people who live in the care home
- their representatives
- their Essential Care Supporters
An Essential Care Supporter is someone important to a person living in a care home. It is likely to cause harm if the person living in the care home was not able to see them.
The notification should include:
- when and why the visits will be stopped and for how long
- who the care home spoke to and what advice they got about stopping visits
- whether some visitors are still allowed. For example, by Essential Care Supporters
- contact details for the person in charge if people are worried
Care homes should inform people within 24 hours of when they decide to stop visits.
People in care homes and their loved ones may feel worried and wonder why normal visits have been stopped.
People will feel less worried if they are given a clear and early explanation about any changes to visits.
This can help people accept a short break in visits more easily.
Notifying the Care Inspectorate
Care homes must tell the Care Inspectorate as soon as possible if they make a decision to stop visits.
Care homes will use an online system to share information with the Care Inspectorate.
The notification about stopping visits must be given within 24 hours.
The Care Inspectorate will look at all notifications carefully and may:
- contact care homes for more information
- offer support
- take action to make things better
This helps the Care Inspectorate to:
- protect people’s rights
- make sure all care homes work in the same way
- make sure stopping visits is fair, only happens for a short time and follows Anne’s Law
Information from notifications will be used to:
- see what is happening all over Scotland
- make sure information is clear
- support ongoing work about Anne’s Law
Notifying the Local Chief Social Work Officer
Care homes must tell their Chief Social Work Officer within 24 hours if visiting is stopped.
Care homes must follow local rules and contracts when telling the Chief Social Work Officer.
The information sent to the Chief Social Work Officer must include:
- the date when visiting will stop
- how long visiting will be stopped
- the reason why visiting is being stopped
- who has been asked for advice about stopping visits
- if any visitors will be allowed
The Chief Social Work Officer may want to make sure people living in the care home are safe and well.
The Chief Social Work Officer can share this information with:
- contract and commissioning teams
- other social work services