Updated COVID statement

When I last updated you on circumstances here at Belvedere House around a month ago, although the pandemic was still very much with us all at least the nation was beginning to “unlock”. Since then you will have seen, as I have, the gradual and cautious relaxing of some measures, although the key ones remain, including handwashing and social distancing. We are now in a period of fragile recovery, navigating with care as comprehensive virus testing (all staff weekly, all residents monthly) introduces new challenges of the occasional positive result and subsequent countermeasures by us here. Although the national recovery is fragile and still in its early days, and our guard must not slip, our primary aim remains the safety and wellbeing of residents, tenants and staff and thus we will occasionally close to visitors or tentatively open up within restrictions; as this is very fluid and dependent upon regular and frequent test results I would ask for your patient support and encourage you to phone or check the website for up to date information. We here are acutely aware of the need to allow visits from loved ones, and that this will happen whenever it can be achieved safely for all – even if only for short and temporary periods.

Hopefully, on the bigger picture, antibody testing is not far off and  we will be able to test all staff and residents to establish a baseline, and we will let you know the result as it affects your family member resident with us. Similarly, we all await the ultimate game-changer of a satisfactory vaccine which should ultimately give us stability.

Finally, I re-iterate my sincere thanks to you for your patience and forebearance during this most difficult of times, which of course are not yet over. We are very conscious of the emotional turbulence caused to families since early March, but our focus has been solely on getting people through as best as possible which I know has been well understood by you and fully supported. In this I must say that I am incredibly proud of the Staff here, who have worked exceedingly hard with many going far beyond their usual hours and duties. Continually, they have been putting themselves and their families at risk by continuing to come to work and provide an unbroken, professional, caring and compassionate service to the most important people of all – our residents and tenants.

Should you wish more information at anytime, our staff will be pleased to answer any questions or concerns that you may have, so please do telephone.

Commander Brian Boxall-Hunt RN, Chief Executive

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