As we enter the winter months, we are seeing a growing number of health boards across Scotland reintroducing restrictions on visiting and increasing the use of masks in hospitals and healthcare settings. While these measures are intended to protect vulnerable individuals during periods of heightened respiratory illness, it is vital that we do not repeat the mistakes of the Covid-19 pandemic in our care homes.

Care homes are not hospitals. They are the homes of those who live there, and the rights of residents must remain paramount. Anne’s Law, now enshrined in legislation, guarantees that people living in care homes have the right to maintain meaningful contact with those who matter most to them. This is not optional – it is a legal and moral obligation. Any restrictions must be proportionate, time-limited, and based on clear public health evidence.

We also need to remember the lessons of the pandemic about communication and human connection. Masks, while useful in certain clinical contexts, can significantly impair communication, especially for people living with dementia, hearing loss, or cognitive impairment. The ability to see a familiar face, to read lips, and to share a smile is not a luxury; it is central to dignity and wellbeing. Therefore, the use of masks in care homes should be limited to situations of genuine infection risk.

Scottish Care urges all health protection teams, and policymakers to uphold the principles of human rights, person-led care, and proportionality when they are advising care homes. We must protect against infection, but we must also protect against isolation, loneliness, and the erosion of fundamental rights. Our commitment is clear: care homes are places of life and love, not lockdown.

Last Updated on 5th December 2025 by Shanice