CCTV in all Care, Nursing and Residential Homes

National Media Press Releases 2011 and 2012

‘Male care worker in care home admits to RAPING Alzheimer's residents.’

‘CARE assistant SACKED for feeding dog biscuits to a resident at BUPA run care home.’

‘Care home workers filmed BEATING frail dementia resident.’

‘Care home worker DRAGGED dementia resident along corridor like a rag doll.’

‘Elderly Alzheimer’s resident being HIT in face, SHOVED into wall and THROWN on to bed.’

‘Accused of SHOVING a patient's soiled sheet in his face before telling him 'when dogs do this, their owners rub their noses in it.’ (November 2009)

‘89 year old LEFT on floor BLEEDING whilst care worker prayed.’

You can read this small selection of press articles on abuse on our Facebook page Your Voice Matters.

We do not want to see headlines such as these and it is alarming when you think this is the tip of the iceberg, with many cases not even being reported.

The only way to prove abuse and bad practice is by visual evidence, and this has been proven time and time again with media exposures, especially with the Winterborne case and the more recent Panorama coverage.

Bedrooms and bathrooms provide a secret place for neglect and abuse to take place and often inflicted on residents who are unable to speak about what has happened to them. What is more degrading, being abused and neglected or being monitored under controlled filming?

The word of a relative or good care worker is often dismissed by care providers, Care Quality Commission, Social Services etc. with disastrous consequences. Relatives may end up being victimised or even banned. Care workers can be bullied or at worse lose their jobs.

CCTV is vital to back up allegations. Concerned relatives would be reassured and good care workers would feel less fearful of whistle blowing.

It is also paramount CCTV monitoring is managed by an independent body, not connected to the Government, Care Sector, NHS or care charity. Independent and Transparent are the key words.

Privacy and dignity may be questioned. Care workers are currently allowed to carry personal mobiles on their person whilst on duty. My fears were confirmed in a Daily Mail press release July 2012, where care workers used their personal mobile telephones to record abuse of a resident. There is also a press release of this happening in a BUPA care home in 2010. So nothing has changed, despite all the guidelines etc.

A resident already has two pairs of stranger’s eyes on them during personal care, what difference is one more? Cameras could be positioned to maintain as much dignity as possible. Surely this is better than being abused or neglected. I know which I would prefer.

It would cost approximately £300 for a family to install their own camera in their loved one's bedroom, this would be connected to their home computer and be password protected. We feel a family have a right to do this. There would be no arguments from the care sector with regards cost and monitoring.

If this petition helps to achieve compulsory CCTV in communal areas with the option for families to install their own for personal monitoring in private areas, then that is a start.

PLEASE HELP ..... our elderly and vulnerable need us to do this and don't forget one day the victim of abuse could be YOU or someone you love.

www.yourvoicematters.org.uk