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August 2012
incorporating The Number One magazine for the care sector
no.195 • £4.75 In association with
Petition calls for CCTV in all care settings By Dominic Musgrave A WOMAN who has a relative with dementia has set up a petition calling for compulsory CCTV in all care settings, to include areas such as bathrooms and bedrooms. Jenny Moore founded the Your Voice Matters Campaign to raise awareness of failing standards in care homes, and more recently started the petition. She told Caring UK the only way to prove abuse and bad practice is by visual evidence, which has been proven with recent high profile media exposures. Jenny added: “Prisoners, small children in nurseries, even the public are all protected by CCTV, so why are our elderly and vulnerable not? When abuse/neglect is reported by a care worker or family, it is one person’s word over another and frequently the innocent party becomes a victim of the care system, the complaint disregarded. “Care workers who whistle blow are often bullied or at worst lose their job. Families are victimised and even banned from visiting their loved one. I understand the concerns over cameras in private areas, but those are the places abuse is more likely to happen. What is worse being filmed having
personal care or being hoisted naked over a bath and left suspended naked for 30 minutes while the staff have a tea break? The resident already has two pairs of strangers’ eyes upon them, what difference is another pair to ensure their safety?” Jenny says that over the past two years her relative has lived in four different care homes. She has unsuccessfully followed all free complaint routes available to families during this time, experiencing serious conflicts with care providers, which has resulted in her visitation rights being revoked – a practice she claims is widespread across the UK by care providers. “CCTV is vital to back up allegations,” added Jenny. “Concerned relatives would be reassured and good care workers would feel less fearful of whistle blowing. Families should be allowed to install their own camera in the bedroom of their loved one, linked to their computer at home which would be password protected. This is not expensive and they would be covering the cost and issues over monitoring and storage of tapes. “Some care homes already have CCTV. Surely if you have nothing to hide, there is nothing to be scared of?”
Dedicated Minister carried by majority
Football legend Denis Law CBE unveiled a plaque to officially open Meridian Healthcare’s new care home in Huddersfield. Denis was the special guest at multimillion pound purpose-built facility, The Oakes, which is part of the group’s Premiere collection. The home, which opened in the spring, was rated ‘excellent’ and awarded five stars by Kirklees council as part of its Scores on the Doors food safety scheme following an unannounced inspection.
MEMBERS of Parliament have voted in favour of a motion calling on the Government to consider appointing a minister for older people. The House of Commons debate followed intense pressure from Grey Pride campaigners who presented a 137,000strong petition to Parliament last November calling for a minister dedicated to the needs of older people. The motion was carried by a majority agreement and Grey Pride coordinator Anchor is now putting pressure on the Prime Minister to respond. Chief executive Jane Ashcroft said: “It is now time for David Cameron to heed this call and make the appointment which older people and future generations so desperately need and deserve. This isn’t about pitting old against young; after all older people are just you and me with a few more miles on this clock.”