Care homes in North Wales have until Wednesday to make expressions of interest for a Welsh Government trial of special “visitor pods”.

The £3million pilot scheme was announced today by Welsh health minister Vaughan Gething and the cash covers buying, installing and leasing 100 units for a six-month period.

The idea is seen as a temporary solution so visitors can see loved ones after the pandemic made care environments off-limits to most families.

The funding includes £1million to support care homes that have made their own arrangements for “pod” visiting.

The units, which will resemble stand-alone cabins used for temporary classrooms, will provide a safe space for a “designated visitor” to meet with someone in residential care.

The need became apparent after some homes faced difficulties maintaining socially distanced visits due to a lack of space.

Initially 30 units will be sited across Wales before Christmas and Welsh Government has confirmed care homes have until Wednesday to bid for one of the initial batch.

Heralding the pilot, health minister Vaughan Gething said: “We all know how difficult recent months have been for people living in care homes and their loved ones, however ensuring the safety of our most vulnerable has always been paramount.

“We recognise both the distress and sadness that has been experienced since March, but also the desire from care homes to facilitate visits before and during Christmas as well as throughout the winter.

“Having engaged with key stakeholders, we are confident these units are a way to enable meaningful visits to take place.

“The pilot scheme will help us to understand whether visiting pods are an effective and practical way of supporting meaningful visits.”

He added the pilot could lead to a bespoke solution for socially distanced visiting in future if required.

Care home providers have been contacted by Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) with information about how to register their interest for the new scheme, according to a Welsh Government spokeswoman.

Visiting restrictions for care homes were eased in the summer and again following the fire-break.

Since August, guidance supported a reintroduction of indoor visits where possible with a designated indoor visitor.