NEW guidance for care home visits which will mean relatives can hug their loved ones at last is to be announced soon.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman met with campaigners on Friday to discuss their concerns.

Fears of coronavirus spreading in care homes has meant thousands of elderly people have been unable to have visitors for months and latterly, only outdoors and socially distanced.

Cathie Russell, co-founder of Care Home Relatives Scotland, said: “We had a positive meeting and can confirm that some of our key requests are to be written into the guidance - but this comes with some caveats so we are at this stage unsure what difference this will make for each of us as individuals and how soon.”

She said Ms Freeman had indicated homes that had been free from Covid-19 for 28 days and that are taking part in the care home staff testing programme, should be able to allow nominated visitors to spend “up to four hours in the resident’s own room….and the designated visitor (or their replacement) will be able to sit and have tea in the residents own room, hug and hold hands and be without a chaperone.”

The group is now seeking a meeting with Scottish Care, which represents the largest group of social care providers across Scotland.

“We believe that good care homes will be making every effort to improve visiting and bring loved ones together again using all the necessary infection protection and control measures,” said Cathie, whose mother Rose is in a care home in Glasgow’s west end.

“I would say we have made progress, but our group will need to get organised and work hard until best practice is in place in every care home in the country.

“We definitely feel this is a much more compassionate approach through this very difficult situation, but we will need to see how well it all goes in practice.”