The intervention by the Minister of Health comes after The Telegraph previously revealed that hospitals continue to restrict families from visiting patients, contrary to official guidelines issued in March.
As of this week, University Hospitals in Birmingham have still suspended all routine visits, except in extreme circumstances such as end-of-life care.
Meanwhile, the university minister has promised to “take off his boots on the ground” on university campuses to investigate institutions where students complain about a lack of face-to-face teaching.
Writing for The Telegraph’s website, she said: “It’s time for a stubborn minority to look at the rest of the country, look at themselves and do the right thing. If they don’t, they will soon have much bigger problems to deal with. “
Her warning comes after complaints about university courses were at their highest level in history last year, with some reporting technological problems during online exams.
Students also “complain about the lack of access to laboratories, canceled or changed projects, internships and study abroad opportunities,” according to a report by the Office of the Independent Judge of Higher Education (OIA).
The OIA received 2,763 student complaints in 2021, an increase of 6% from 2020 levels.
Ms. Donelan said it was her “duty” to call on universities “that refuse to keep up with the rest of the country” as we learn to live with the virus.
She said she “personally calls vice-rectors” of universities that do not offer private lessons to remind them of their responsibility to students.
Students “deserve better,” she said, warning that universities could face “severe consequences, including fines” if they do not take action.
According to new guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the UK Health Security Agency last month, social distancing in hospitals, including emergency departments, ambulances and outpatient facilities, had to return to pre-pandemic levels.
The period of isolation of Covid-19 patients in hospitals was also reduced from 10 days to seven with two negative tests, while patients considered to be in contact with Covid-19 cases should no longer be isolated if they have no symptoms.
But a senior government source said some trusts were not complying with the measures.
“The health minister thinks this is completely unacceptable – not only does it limit capacity, but it also ignores the fact that patients need to see relatives and relatives need to see patients,” the source said.
They added that the guide was developed on the basis of the latest data and “there is no reason not to follow”.
Mr Javid has already raised the issue with the CEOs of Trust, but will call on those who do not remove the restrictions to remind them to do so, of course.
But Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said hospital leaders were “committed to doing everything possible to restore their services.”
“Assuming that hard-working NHS staff deliberately disregard national guidelines is wrong and completely ignores the complex risk management they face every day,” he said.
It calls on the universities of the ‘stubborn minorities’ to return to normal
By Michel Donelan, Minister of Universities
It is no exaggeration to say that the United Kingdom has led the world back to normal after the pandemic.
The reason we have learned to live so successfully with COVID is not just because of government action, but because we have allowed the British to show common sense in order to defend themselves as they return to their normal lives.
So now we all have to enjoy the freedoms that are possible – no group should be on a different path, especially not our students, who have sacrificed so much in the last two years.
That is why I think it is my duty to call on a stubborn minority of universities that refuse to keep up with the rest of the country.
Since January, I have been personally calling the vice-chancellors, where we have received complaints from parents and students that universities do not offer direct tuition, as well as publicly clarifying their expectations.
Fortunately, the majority of students now receive a comparable amount of face-to-face teaching as before the pandemic.
Unfortunately, a stubborn minority of universities have taken a very different path than the rest of us when it comes to returning to normal – whether it’s face-to-face teaching or events.
One example is Imperial College London – which serves as a science center for COVID – it recently refused to allow parents to attend their children’s graduation ceremonies last month, despite the fact that COVID restrictions had been completely lifted by then.
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