The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published new guidelines aimed at preventing care homes from punishing residents whose relatives complain by restricting or even banning visits from relatives, or evicting the patients.

The guidelines, published last month, follows a case in Somerset in 2012 where a son was prevented from visiting his 93 year old father, who died three months later, and a case at an Essex care home where an 86 year old was evicted after her children complained of poor care there.