Our response to coronavirus: Safe and welcoming places to live

Following the Prime Minister’s announcement about the new national lockdown, we are reviewing our processes so we can continue to support safe visiting to our care homes and ensure we do so in line with government and local health protection guidance. We are continuing to safely welcome new residents into our care homes wherever possible and we always publish updated advice and information as soon as possible.

As England’s largest not-for-profit provider of care and housing to older people, we understand the considerable impact coronavirus is having on the way we all live.

We’ve harnessed the expertise of colleagues across Anchor Hanover to ensure we’re not only following the latest government infection-control guidance, but doing so to create the safe and welcoming homes that we’ve been proud to provide for more than 50 years.

Here’s how we’re ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our residents is central to everything we do – while offering a welcoming home to everyone who lives with us.

Care homes

Safe

• Care home residents and workers have been prioritised to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The roll-out to Anchor care homes is underway with vaccination teams having visited every home and all residents having been offered a first vaccine. Vaccination teams are now in the process of revisiting homes to administer the second vaccine. All new residents will also be prioritised for a vaccination on move-in
• Skilled care teams trained in infection-control
• Personal protective equipment worn and substantial quantities of PPE available as a result of our robust supply chains
• Our homes were among the first in the country to take part in the government’s care home testing programme in July 2020 – and have been regularly testing colleagues and residents since
• We’re a member of the British Institute of Cleaning Science, giving us access to specialist cleaning advice and support
• A two-week settling-in period for new residents, with a dedicated package of one-to-one activities and support before they can join other residents. This settling-in period is fully compliant with Public Health England guidance – but with the Anchor Hanover personalised touch.

Welcoming

We welcome the latest government announcement on visiting in care homes by a named person, supported by testing, from 8 March. While we’ve always facilitated visits wherever possible and in accordance with Public Health England guidance, we’re delighted that people living in our homes will soon be able to have more regular, sustained and meaningful contact with a loved one. We look forward to providing more information once we have received the updated government care home guidance on visiting.

Our teams have been able to facilitate visits in our gardens and external areas at some of our homes over the past few months and, where full safety criteria has been met and local health protection advice permits, we have an inside visiting space with a screen. 

We understand the importance of a welcoming home:

• Virtual showrounds available so potential residents can meet the care team and take a virtual tour of our homes 
• From day one of moving in, our housekeeping teams make sure bedrooms and laundry services are tailored to our residents’ needs
• Expert catering teams creating delicious menus from freshly-prepared ingredients  
• Care teams skilled in technology to help our residents connect through technology, such as Skype and, Facetime
• Creative activity programmes developed by our in-house team of wellness coordinators, from person-centred activities to home-wide events, such as the hugely popular Christmas festivities organised to ensure Christmas could still be a magical time for residents and colleagues to enjoy, despite the pandemic. Check out our Caring at Christmas page to find out more about the pantomime fun, carol singing, festive challenges and Christmas crafting going on across our homes.

View, print and share our care brochure 

Housing

In our retirement housing, our approach is to support people to comply with the restrictions where they are living.

We are continuing to provide the following services, outside of any tier or lockdown restrictions:

• Our housing managers are continuing to help coordinate and manage resident queries, health and safety checks and property contractors 
• We continue to limit the number of visitors to help protect the health and safety of our residents and recommend that any residents, colleagues, contractors and essential visitors wear face coverings in public or enclosed areas
• Residents can use the communal gardens, adhering to social distancing and following government guidance. But we strongly encourage residents to meet their support bubble away from the housing location unless they are providing them with essential care
• Residents have access to Anchor Hanover on Call, our 24-hour emergency contact service 
• Contractors are carrying out repairs and some improvement works on site, ensuring they are following COVID-safe measures
• We are welcoming new residents, through lettings and sales, in accordance with government guidance
• Residents have access to:
  • a catering service where this is part of the resident's normal service
  • BeWise, our welfare benefits and energy switching advice service
  • online services for some residents to make payments, update details etc.

Our housing managers are in regular contact with residents and update them about any changes which may affect their location, such as tier restrictions.

We are continuously monitoring the situation and official advice. Our Executive Team and Operational Teams are holding regular coronavirus calls to ensure effective following and sharing of government guidance. 

The safety and wellbeing of our residents and colleagues is paramount. We are taking every possible step to safeguard this while continuing to support our residents. We have also published the risk assessment for our Bradford office below, as required by the latest guidance.

Useful websites

The following websites also contain useful guidance:

• https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
• https://111.nhs.uk/service/COVID-19/
• https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public

Useful documents

Download our housing residents' FAQs (updated 5 January 2021)

Download the risk assessment for our Bradford office (updated 2 March 2021)

Download the Staying COVID-19 Secure notice for our Bradford office