care in the uk - a disgrace

[brixtonscot]

Do people know about the Compassion in Care charity?

They have a helpline and support whistleblowers. I only heard about them quite recently. They are campaigning for 'Edna's law'. Will try to post links to them later.

This is link for Compassion in Care

Home - Compassion in Care

Breaking The Chain of Elderly Abuse Complacency – Ignorance – Denial – Silence

compassionincare.com

 

[Dystopiary]

Ian Reeves was a severely disabled man who lived in Marston Court Care Home in Leicester from 2007 until his death in 2021. But the "care" home used his bank account to purchase women’s and children’s clothes, toys and perfume.

His sister Sharon McConnell became his next of kin after their mother died in 2018, and developed serious concerns about the care Ian was receiving and how his money was being spent. She took the matter to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.

A four-year battle for answers followed, culminating in the Government body finding earlier this year that both the care home and Leicester City Council were found to have failed Ian, and failed to have properly dealt with his money.

However, Sharon McConnell says there are still unanswered questions over suspicious spending, a second bank account, and her brother's care: she says Mr Reeves was left sitting in a broken wheelchair even though there was plenty enough money in his name to afford a new one.

She claims there are several discrepancies between cash withdrawals from Ian's account and money actually spent on him. And the reports of from the Ombudsman and Leicester Council only go back as far as October 2017. Sharon flagged the withdrawl of £3,300 in July 2012 for a holiday for Ian which had to be cancelled after he got shingles. But there is no evidence that the money was refunded, nor of the holiday happening later. Marston Court have now acknowledged that a second bank account was registered in Ian's name at the home address of a staff member. The council's own report staid that Marston Court had accepted this was “not good practice”, and said it had apologised for what it described as an “oversight”.

The bank account had more than £11,000 in it when it was passed to Sharon. She said: “When Ian died, if I've not done that digging, that money could have gone to them, because they were the names on the account.”

She added: "Why was that money banked, why wasn’t it handed back to the local authority? Why did those carers have hold of that bank book? It’s outrageous, it’s absolutely outrageous."

The council has ruled that there were faults in its own and Marston Court's handling of Ian Reeves's finances amounting to "maladministration and a safeguarding failure", and both have agreed to apologise. Sharon said she's relieved they have admitted what she knew to be true, but angry and frustrated that they had to be made to apologise and that it took so long for them to do so. She also believes that the second bank account in her brother's name was opened unlawfully and asked Leicestershire police to investigate.

[W]hile questions remain over whether [Ian Reeves]'s quality of life could have been improved if his money had been better handled, Sharon and her family said they felt it was important to "fight this to the end" in the hope of preventing other families from going through similar situations.

They have set up a Go Fund Me, called Justice for Ian, in the hope being able to take legal action against Marston Court.

Care home resident's bank account had staff member’s address

 

[GarveyLives]

4 June 2018:

"A nurse (Aaron Kibaja) who sexually harassed his junior colleagues - including pulling an emergency alarm so he could see one woman's breasts bounce as she ran down a corridor - has been struck off ..."

'Bouncing breasts' harassment nurse Aaron Kibaja is struck off

(Source: as stated in image)

Aaron Kibaja​

Today: Aaron Kibaja is now a "Peripatetic Deputy Manager" at Ashmere Care Homes (where he has been employed since August 2018)

Can anyone with first-hand knowledge of the care sector clarify whether this is 'normal'?

 

[GarveyLives]

"Serious injuries suffered by those in health and care settings have surged by 30% in the last five years, Byline Times can reveal.

Some 65,053 serious injuries were logged by the Care Quality Commission in 2022, a nearly 15,000 rise on the 50,432 figure recorded in 2018. ..."

Serious Injuries in Social and Health Care Surge as Figures Reveal Tens of Thousands Harmed

"The Department for Health and Social Care did not respond to a request for comment."​

 

[Dystopiary]

The human rights watchdog is looking pretty toothless when it comes to doing something about the plight of many vulnerable people.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has not followed through on the threats it made to take legal action against the government over its failure to cut the number of disabled people being inappropriately detained in England.

The [EHRC] has not taken any legal action against the government despite the number of people with learning difficulties and autistic people in inpatient mental health settings falling by only a small amount since it issued the threat more than 15 months ago.

EHRC said in July 2022 that it was “exploring how best to use its legal powers to help patients and their families” and that this could include “action in the courts”.

It pointed out at the time that it was “unacceptable” that hundreds of autistic people and people with learning difficulties were “still being kept as in-patients when they could be receiving community care”, more than a decade after government action was first promised.

But last month’s figures show almost no progress has been made by the government in the last 15 months.

Human rights watchdog fails to follow through on legal threat to government

 

[GarveyLives]

William James, formerly known as Stephen Umney, who sexually abused residents at a Bedfordshire care home for people with mental health illnesses residents for over a decade whilst working as "a support worker", has now been imprisoned for life, with a requirement to serve a minimum of eight years and four months.

Northamptonshire Police uncovered the crimes in November 2021 when his computer was examined as part of an investigation into indecent images of children.

William James, formerly known as Stephen Umney, had filmed himself carrying out abuse in the care home. Bedfordshire Police then began a second investigation into the abuse at the care home.

William James, formerly known as Stephen Umney was found guilty of five counts of sexual activity with a person with a mental disorder and nine counts of causing a person with a mental disorder to engage in sexual activity, three counts of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a person with a mental disorder.

(Source: Bedfordshire Police)​

In August 2022, William James, formerly known as Stephen Umney was sentenced to 2 years and 10 months in prison at Northampton Crown Court for two counts of distributing indecent images of children, three counts of making indecent photographs of children and one count of possessing extreme pornography, two counts of voyeurism, and one count of possessing prohibited images of children.

Mobile phones seized from him had more than 1,000 pictures and videos on them, including 382 ‘category A’ videos which depict the most depraved abuse. They included a distressing video of what investigators estimated was a one year-old baby boy being abused with acts which are too horrifying to print.

On a USB stick and computer that were also seized were a further 6,000-plus files including 1,636 category A images.

It is unclear how he came to be working in a care facility with direct access to vulnerable people.

 

[hash tag]

Things could possible get a lot worse yet with the governments recent initiative to curb immigration. It could certainly put people off coming here
thus restricting the number of people willing to come here and work as carers.

 

[GarveyLives]

For information:

"Panorama investigates a care home short of staff, where external medical professionals report seeing residents neglected, and overseas staff complain of being exploited. Britain’s health and care sector is increasingly reliant on overseas staff, with more than 120,000 visas issued last year. Reporter Balagopal Balakrishnan investigates one of 15 care homes run by a company in north-east England. He finds carers being charged thousands of pounds by an unscrupulous recruitment agency and nurses locked into lengthy contracts with financial penalties if they leave early. The programme also hears about dozens of safeguarding alerts including reports of neglected residents suffering unexplained bruising and uncovers evidence that the company boss is willing to protect staff from regulators when things go wrong. The company says any suggestion that there is systematic bad practice would be unfair and inaccurate ..."

Care Workers Under Pressure, Panorama, BBC1, 7.00 p.m., 18 December 2023

 

[GarveyLives]

Care Workers Under Pressure, Panorama, BBC1, 7.00 p.m., 18 December 2023

... deeply disturbing viewing, on top of which:

Exploitation in care sector a ‘real concern’, says ex-anti-slavery commissioner

 

[hash tag]

I'm just catching up on this. It will probably be grim, alas nothing new. If it helps to bring issues to the greater public

Panorama

Investigative documentary series revealing the truth about the stories that matter.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[hash tag]

Very sad, if not entirely unexpected. They featured a care home in the north east where staff from India paid about £5000 to get a job there, were paid minimum wages of course and then had to pay back large sums when leaving. All of course illeagal. There were more issues like mistreatment, short staff etc.

 

[Chilli.s]

My father was discharged from hospital to a care home in the NE. Supposedly a place that catered for alzheimer's sufferers. The care plan I read said that he should not be walking about unless supported by a member of staff. He had 3 falls in 4 days, the last resulting in a broken hip and back to hospital. He died a few weeks later.

 

[Orang Utan]

the neglect my mum and other patients suffered at her nursing home was shocking and certainly hastened her death. This was mainly due to short staffing and overworked care assistants and nurses. Wish we’d had the energy (mental and physical) to sue the fuckers, but I suppose it wouldn’t have helped the situation much for other patients and staff.
Still haven’t dealt with my anger, resentment and grief over all of that. It’s just too painful, even nearly seven years later.

 

[Chilli.s]

Wish we’d had the energy (mental and physical) to sue the fuckers, but I suppose it wouldn’t have helped the situation much for other patients and staff.
Still haven’t dealt with my anger, resentment and grief over all of that. It’s just too painful, even nearly seven years later.

Exactly how I feel, but only 6 months on from it. Its a chapter of my life I just want gone from my head.

Sympathy to you OU

 

[Orang Utan]

Exactly how I feel, but only 6 months on from it. Its a chapter of my life I just want gone from my head.

Sympathy to you OU

And to you feller, that hole it leaves in you never goes away but it does get smaller

 

[Dystopiary]

Disabled people and allies were in Parliament recently, calling for an end to the cruel and degrading treatment of young people in institutional care settings.

Among the scandals [author Elaine Clifford] highlighted were those at children’s homes in Doncaster run by Hesley Group, which is owned by a private equity firm; those at homes run by Calcot Services for Children; mental health units run by The Huntercombe Group; and failures by Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust.

She said that these examples of torture and abuse “are not anomalies” but are “part of a wider system, where physical restraint and seclusion rooms are used as common practice”.

She said disabled children and young people are placed in settings many miles from home, where they are traumatised, and then punished when they respond to that trauma.

“Thus, their distress escalates, their trauma is entrenched, and they’re told that services within the community cannot cope with them, so they become trapped within abusive institutions.”

The campaign group End Torture of Disabled People aims to "eliminate the use of these segregated settings, and end the torture, violence and abuse of young disabled people across such services."

“We want real justice and real rights, we want to talk about the desegregation of these disabled people, and we can’t continue to have the legacy of eugenics which is keeping us held back, and basically killing too many disabled people.”

Parliamentary meeting demands end to segregation and abuse of young disabled people

 

[BristolEcho]

Add in these concerns.

Profiteering fears as global investment firms increase stakes in England’s child social care | Social care | The Guardian

Observer investigation finds homes backed by private equity more than doubled in five years, with Qatar and Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth funds among investors

amp.theguardian.com

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

Exactly how I feel, but only 6 months on from it. Its a chapter of my life I just want gone from my head.

Sympathy to you OU

The Next of Kin could potentially sue if they bring a case within three years (limitation), although in reality many law firms would want to be instructed within two years, some might be willing to take on a case within two and a half years. The closer it gets to limitation the harder it is to carry out the necessarily investigations, take witness statements, get medical records and commission expert medical reports and so on and build the case and file the case with the courts before the deadline. It is theoretically possible to apply to the courts for an extension of limitation, but it would be hard to find a law firm willing to do so.

There are law firms that specialise in these kinds of cases though.

And/or have you reported concerns to the CQC? The Care Quality Commission governs standards in care homes. And there might be reason to report individual members of staff to their respective regulatory bodies, the GMC for doctors and the... RCN? Royal College of Nursing? Whoever they are registered with.

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

Add in these concerns.

Profiteering fears as global investment firms increase stakes in England’s child social care | Social care | The Guardian

Observer investigation finds homes backed by private equity more than doubled in five years, with Qatar and Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth funds among investors

amp.theguardian.com

Yeah, I saw that headline and clicked earlier, what with being a careleaver myself. Fucking greedy parasites. And the government are cunts for effectively privatising children in its care.

 

[InArduisFouette]

4 June 2018:



'Bouncing breasts' harassment nurse Aaron Kibaja is struck off

(Source: as stated in image)

Aaron Kibaja​

Today: Aaron Kibaja is now a "Peripatetic Deputy Manager" at Ashmere Care Homes (where he has been employed since August 2018)

Can anyone with first-hand knowledge of the care sector clarify whether this is 'normal'?

yet another Brexit benefit

 

[hash tag]

On the bright side, the care home has since closed

Hidden camera at Whittlesey care home shows abuse before man died

Undercover footage shows elderly man was hit by a carer and staff ate his food before he died.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[hash tag]

For information:



Care Workers Under Pressure, Panorama, BBC1, 7.00 p.m., 18 December 2023

Gateshead care home investigated by Panorama now in special measures

A CQC inspection finds residents at Addison Court were not safe and at risk of "avoidable harm".

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[hash tag]

"an immature refusal to engage in a crisis"

‘Grow up’ and talk about social care, Andrew Dilnot tells Labour and Tories

As an election approaches, both parties must end their irresponsible silence about the crisis in England, pleads the architect of funding reforms

www.theguardian.com

 

[GarveyLives]

"My job is to protect you or your parents or grandparents from the fear of having to sell your home to pay for the costs of care and so I am announcing now – on the steps of Downing Street – that we will fix the crisis in social care once and for all with a clear plan we have prepared to give every older person the dignity and security they deserve ..."

Source: Boris Johnson's first speech as Prime Minister, 24 July 2019

(Source: eastdevonwatch.org)​

Nearly four later, here is their "clear plan" for the people who have decided to care for their own loved ones:

Carers threatened with prosecution over minor breaches of UK benefit rules

 

[newme]

"My job is to protect you or your parents or grandparents from the fear of having to sell your home to pay for the costs of care and so I am announcing now – on the steps of Downing Street – that we will fix the crisis in social care once and for all with a clear plan we have prepared to give every older person the dignity and security they deserve ..."

Source: Boris Johnson's first speech as Prime Minister, 24 July 2019

(Source: eastdevonwatch.org)​

Nearly four later, here is their "clear plan" for the people who have decided to care for their own loved ones:

Carers threatened with prosecution over minor breaches of UK benefit rules

Anyone surprised? I'm thoroughly disgusted with them but it's hardly unexpected at this point.

 

[Kippax180]

As a carer, I'm surprised that it's being reported. I'm also not expecting the next Labour government to do much different. They know we don't really have a choice.

 

[GarveyLives]

"My job is to protect you or your parents or grandparents from the fear of having to sell your home to pay for the costs of care and so I am announcing now – on the steps of Downing Street – that we will fix the crisis in social care once and for all with a clear plan we have prepared to give every older person the dignity and security they deserve ..."

Source: Boris Johnson's first speech as Prime Minister, 24 July 2019

Nearly five years later:

"A deep dive into the crisis engulfing adult social care has revealed almost a third of councils are no longer confident they can even meet their basic legal duties towards elderly and vulnerable residents next year."

Almost one in three councils no longer confident they can provide basic adult social care

 

[hash tag]

Not quite care in the UK I know. I got called by an elderly gentleman last night ( who I have assisted a few times ), I have been left in my hall in my
wheelchair by hospital transport and I can't get to my stairlift to get in to my home proper, van you help?
Yes, they had simply left him in his wheelchair, in his hall where he was unable to get to his stairlift to get into his home. It was a quick, simple and easy
job to help with the transfer; poor sod.
It makes me wonder about humanity in general sometimes.

 

[GarveyLives]

I got called by an elderly gentleman last night ( who I have assisted a few times ), I have been left in my hall in my
wheelchair by hospital transport and I can't get to my stairlift to get in to my home proper, van you help?
Yes, they had simply left him in his wheelchair, in his hall where he was unable to get to his stairlift to get into his home. It was a quick, simple and easy
job to help with the transfer; poor sod.

This incident, including the date and times, should be reported in writing direct to the chief executive officer and / chief operating officer of the hospital trust concerned for comment as soon as possible, with a copy to the individual's member of parliament.

 

[hash tag]

This incident, including the date and times, should be reported in writing direct to the chief executive officer and / chief operating officer of the hospital trust concerned for comment as soon as possible, with a copy to the individual's member of parliament.

That's really down to the client. It was suggested to him.
I suspect they were fulfilling their roles, which was to see him safely in to his home, which they did.