Review of CQC Regulation 9A: visiting and accompanying in care homes, hospitals and hospices (easy read)

10.4.2026 - | Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs

In 2024, the government made some new rules to make sure that everyone who is in a care home, hospital or hospice can have people visit them.

Last year we asked lots of people what they thought about the new rules.

We found that the new rules have helped lots of care services do the right thing about visitors. But some things still need to be better, like:

• what information the Department of Health and Social Care collects
• making sure people know and understand the rules
• being clear about how decisions are made
• how care services tell people when they cannot visit
• making the difference between general visitors and care supporters clearer
• how we check that the rules are followed

In the outcome booklet on this page, you can read more about:

• what we found out
• what we will do to change how people think and act so everyone follows the new rules

Last year, the government made some new rules to make sure that everyone who is in a care home, hospital or hospice can have people visit them.

Your answers to the questions in this survey will help the government to know whether the new rules have worked, or if the rules could be better.

In this call for evidence, we refer to care homes, hospitals and hospices as ‘care services’.

This call for evidence is for:

• people who use care services
• carers
• people who visit care services
• people who work for care services
• organisations representing any of the people above

Your answers need to be about care services in England.

Follow the ‘Respond online’ link in the ‘Ways to respond’ box below to tell us your ideas.

Or you can print the survey and post your answers to:

https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/review-of-cqc-regulation-9a-visiting-and-accompanying-in-care-homes-hospitals-and-hospices-easy-read