I can’t watch these programmes that show the worst of our humanity. I too have had experience of the care system as my late husband was in care near the end of his life and he had his family around him constantly on a daily basis. But I know some of the people in care don’t have family to make sure they are ok and that makes them even more vulnerable.
I believe that there needs to be more investment in the care system to attract the best qualified staff. We trust these people with our most precious family member we deserve the highest trained and qualified staff to care for them.
This Tory government put profit and saving money first they have no empathy with anyone who has to use the services of the care system.
Just read your post SP so much better than mine but on the same page I believe.
Rose, I currently work in social care.
When it's done properly, with exhaustive training and incentives - then it really can be a force for good and a positive method of supporting vulnerable people to enjoy a quality of life that may have not been otherwise achievable.
However - there is a general panic in the whole sector because of government cost-cutting exercises and that is reflective in pay and conditions. This means that excellent staff members are being forced out to find better paid jobs. What you're then left with are underqualified, under-prepared, unskilled staff members who thrive on the opportunity to bully and exert a bit of authority.
Because support-at-home facilities are more compact and less densely populated, there are, generally speaking, more dedicated and better-trained staff. There is still plenty scope for abuse though: financial, emotional, physical, sexual, etc, etc........
The wages are still ridiculously low; however - Shammy is spot-on regarding new legislation requiring registration and regular disclosure and PVG checks.
It is vital that family members are considered and included on Trustee Boards. Oversight is the most important part of ensuring that people are treated with the dignity, respect and quality that they should be entitled too.
Espirtosanto is also spot-on though, in many cases it's definitely a matter of far too little, far too late.