Requirements for Winter Discharges to Designated Settings

A letter has been issued from DHSC’s Director of Adult Social Care Quality, Tom Surrey, regarding designated care settings for people discharged from hospital who have a COVID-19 positive status.

The letter, sent to Directors of Adult Services in England on 13 October 2020, sets out:

  1.  An overview of the requirement for designated care settings for people discharged from hospital who have a COVID-19 positive status; and
  2.  An instruction for Local Authorities to commence identifying and notifying CQC of sufficient local designated accommodation and to work with CQC to assure their compliance with the Infection Prevention Control (IPC) protocol.

The requirements include:

  • Anyone with a COVID-19 positive test result being discharged into or back into a registered care home setting must be discharged into appropriate designated setting (i.e., that has the policies, procedures, equipment and training in place to maintain infection control and support the care needs of residents) and cared for there for the remainder of the required isolation period.
  • These designated accommodations will need to be inspected by CQC to meet the latest CQC infection prevention control standards.
  • No one will be discharged into or back into a registered care home setting with a COVID-19 test result outstanding, or without having been tested within the 48 hours preceding their discharge.
  • Everyone being discharged into a care home must have a reported COVID test result and this must be communicated to the care home prior to the person being discharged from hospital. The care home’s registered manager should continue to assure themselves.

Please click here to download the full letter which sets out the requirements and instructions for appropriate discharge of COVID-19 positive adults to care homes.