COVID-19 Supplementary IPC resource for adult social care (Admissions)

Hospital discharge

Individuals being discharged from hospital into a care home should be tested with a COVID-19 LFD test within 48 hours before planned discharge. This test should be provided and done by the hospital.

The result of the test should be shared with the individual and their key relatives or advocate. The relevant care should be provided within the hospital before the discharge takes place. Evidence of the LFD test result should be communicated by hospitals to care homes in writing within the usual communications provided at the time of discharging a patient to a care home.

Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 can be admitted to the care home if the home is satisfied they can be cared for safely. Individuals who are admitted with a positive test result should be kept away from other residents on arrival and should follow the guidance on care home residents who test positive for COVID-19.

The period individuals should stay away from others is from the day after the positive test and does not restart when the individual is admitted into the care home. If the individual has already tested positive before the planned discharge, they do not need to test again if they continue to have symptoms of a respiratory infection and feel unwell or have a high temperature.

Community admission

Individuals admitted from the community or other care settings do not need to be tested before they are admitted into the care home.

Page last updated on October 27th, 2023 at 4:22pm