UK Parliament home

This petition was submitted during the 2019 to 2024 Parliament

View other petitions from this Parliament

Closed Give elderly and vulnerable adults legal rights to have hospital visitors

Closed on

Though national Covid restrictions have been lifted, many hospitals are still denying patients visitors. Elderly and vulnerable adults in hospital often depend on friends and family to advocate for their care, support them, and help with eating/drinking. Give them legal rights to hospital visitors.

Many elderly, vulnerable patients have been stuck in hospitals without visitors, some confused about where they are, becoming demoralised and deteriorating. Visitor bans don't ensure that patients do not catch Covid. Elderly and vulnerable patients can be too unwell to manage or make decisions on their own, and need family or friends’ presence and support. Giving these patients legal rights to visitors (with PPE/testing as needed), could help their care and recovery, saving NHS resources.

508 signatures

Show on a map

10,000

Petition progress

View all updates for this petition, with the most recent first.

  • Petition closed

  • Related activity

    Share your experiences of visiting loved ones in care settings

    On Thursday 27 October, MPs Dan Carden, Tracey Crouch and Daisy Cooper will lead a debate in Parliament entitled “Guaranteeing the right to maintain contact in care settings”.

    To inform the debate, please share your experiences of visiting friends or relatives in care settings, both during and after the Covid-19 pandemic. The MPs may quote your contribution directly in their speeches to the House of Commons.

    Find out more and share your experiences with them by midday on Wednesday 26 October:

    https://ukparliament.shorthandstories.com/cet-carecontact/index.html?utm_campaign=1022-cet-carecontact-petitioners&utm_medium=email&utm_source=petcom

    Videos of the debate, the transcript of what was said, and other relevant material will be accessible shortly after the debate on this webpage.

    ### What are backbench business debates?
    Backbench business debates give backbenchers (MPs who aren’t ministers or shadow ministers) an opportunity to secure a debate on a topic of their choice, either in the main House of Commons Chamber or Westminster Hall, the second chamber of the House of Commons.

    MPs can make a request for a debate to the Backbench Business Committee, who hears and decides which debates to schedule.

    Backbench debates can either be general debates (which do not end in a vote) or be on a substantive motion (which calls for an action and can end in a vote). This will be a general debate.

  • Petition published

    This petition can now be signed.

    If this petition gets 10,000 signatures, government will respond to it.

    If this petition gets 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in Parliament.

    This petition will stay open until 20 November 2022.