Up to 11,000 free iPads will be given to thousands of UK care homes

Up to 11,000 free Apple iPads will be given to thousands of UK care homes to help residents keep in touch with relatives under government plans to prevent another surge in coronavirus deaths, reports The Independent.

The giveaway was announced a week after the government’s Adult Social Care Winter Plan set out tighter controls for visits to residents. Care homes in local lockdown areas will have to restrict access to “exceptional circumstances” only, such as when a person is nearing the end of their life.

The Department of Health and Social Care said the iPads would “stop the spread of the virus by reducing unnecessary visits while still allowing residents to connect with friends and family”. They will also allow staff to access patient records, reorder medication and hold virtual consultations with GPs and other medical professionals. However each home will only be able to apply for one or two devices depending on their existing equipment and the number of beds, according to The Independent.