This call for evidence will inform the review of Regulation 9A of The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 on visiting and accompanying in care homes, hospitals and hospices. (We refer to this as ‘Regulation 9A’ throughout the survey.)
The review will consider whether, since coming into force on 6 April 2024, Regulation 9A has been effective in meeting its objective to make sure:
- people staying in a care home, hospital or hospice can receive visits from people they want to see
- people living in a care home are not discouraged from taking visits outside the home
- people attending appointments in a hospital or hospice, that do not require an overnight stay, can be accompanied by a family member, friend or advocate if they want someone with them
This survey is about visits from and accompaniment by family members, friends, partners, advocates, carers, volunteers such as befrienders, and any person visiting to provide support or companionship to the service user. It is not considering access to visiting professionals, including care workers.
We welcome evidence from individuals, professionals and organisations. Please do not include any information that could identify an individual or member of the public.
Please review the full call for evidence page before completing this survey.
If you navigate away from the survey, your progress will be automatically saved. If you reopen the link in the same browser that you started the survey, you will be able to continue your response.
This survey will close at 11.59pm on 9 July 2025.