The Independent Care Group has urged the government to reverse its proposal to make care and nursing home visitors pay for Covid-19 test, saying that it would penalise those who had suffered enough.

Free Covid-19 tests will end in April but people visiting loved ones in care settings, including care and nursing homes, will still need a test to visit.

“Caring families have suffered enough without having this further indignity thrust upon them. This is penalising those who have suffered enough already,” said ICG Chair Mike Padgham.

“This cost is going to fall on those who are doing that most precious and vital thing – visiting a loved one. It is wrong on every level and shows the flagrant disregard the government has for the care sector.

“If, in a civilised society, we cannot enable people to visit their loved ones without having to bear the cost of measures to keep them safe, then we are in a sorry state indeed.

“What happens to a family – maybe two or three people – who want to visit a beloved father, mother or grandparent two, three or even four times a week? Are we saying unless you pay up you can’t?

“This is treating social care with contempt and we urge the government to rethink it immediately.”

Earlier this week, the ICG called for a sensible and cautious return to normality for the care sector, and greater support.

 “The world has changed since the pandemic began, social care is on its knees and is going to need some help to live with Covid,” Padgham warned.

“As a country, we want to get back to normality as soon as we can and that includes those people who rely on care in their own homes or who live in care and nursing homes.

“But to achieve that we have to remain cautious and as a society not forget that Covid-19 hasn’t gone away and still poses a risk, particularly to vulnerable people. I welcome the extra booster.

“I know that things like masks, social distancing, hyper-scrupulous hygiene and other measures will remain amongst care providers as we ensure care settings remain safe settings.

“To do that we are going to need support. There cannot be a lazy assumption that everything is as it was before.”