are there laws on staff/patient ratio???

[Just-Me]

Hi,
I run a daycare centre and care for people with various forms of dementia, since the government cuts in different fields my workload has become extremely challenging, and I cannot find any guidelines as to what is the safe limit of staff ratio to service users.
We make teas, serve dinners wash pots as well as provide personal care to people who are doubly incontinent. we need one to one care with our users frequently due to mini "episodes" we also have to provide activities a challenge in itself with the diversity of the group, and we transport them to and from the centre.
I would like to ask firstly...
Is there any kind of law to say my employers must provide escorts on the ambulance bus?
we rely on volunteers, but I am finding it difficult to get any as the group is so challenging. therefore I am doing the escorting myself.
we rent a room it is disabled friendly and very nice but has automatic opening doors as other rooms are used by other groups. I have services users that have tendencies to wander.
there is myself and my driver/carer that's it.
whilst I am toileting my driver/carer is left alone, should one s/u have an "episode" needing one to one my wanderers seize the opportunity ... I have fine tuned my hearing to know if the automatic door slides open, either leaving my toilet person alone for a minute or shouting my driver to call back the wanderers... not ideal.
but we keep everyone safe.
so, how many people can we legally look after??? please help, I cannot find the answers, I have challenged my employers, several times but if I can find evidence of laws it will help my fight.
not only do I have concerns for my users but also concerns for my driver and myself.
we have 15 service users, we pick them up from 9;00am then take them home at 3 and finish around 5 o'clock. we eat our lunch with the service users as well as helping some with feeding, serving and clearing up too.

Many thanks x

 

[nitram]

I don't know of any law but for comparison my wife attended an LA run dementia day centre accommodating 40 people.
Total staffing was 17 - manager,admin,carers,cooks,domestics - plus 4 part time driver/escorts to help carers with minibus transport and outings.
Things may have changed now as the LA created a LATCo to run all day and respite care in LA , probably now LATCO, owned properties.

Once again the different treatment of children and adults could be happening, I think there are rules on the supervisor/child ratio for playgroups.

 

[fizzie]

Hi,
I run a daycare centre and care for people with various forms of dementia, since the government cuts in different fields my workload has become extremely challenging, and I cannot find any guidelines as to what is the safe limit of staff ratio to service users.
We make teas, serve dinners wash pots as well as provide personal care to people who are doubly incontinent. we need one to one care with our users frequently due to mini "episodes" we also have to provide activities a challenge in itself with the diversity of the group, and we transport them to and from the centre.
I would like to ask firstly...
Is there any kind of law to say my employers must provide escorts on the ambulance bus?
we rely on volunteers, but I am finding it difficult to get any as the group is so challenging. therefore I am doing the escorting myself.
we rent a room it is disabled friendly and very nice but has automatic opening doors as other rooms are used by other groups. I have services users that have tendencies to wander.
there is myself and my driver/carer that's it.
whilst I am toileting my driver/carer is left alone, should one s/u have an "episode" needing one to one my wanderers seize the opportunity ... I have fine tuned my hearing to know if the automatic door slides open, either leaving my toilet person alone for a minute or shouting my driver to call back the wanderers... not ideal.
but we keep everyone safe.
so, how many people can we legally look after??? please help, I cannot find the answers, I have challenged my employers, several times but if I can find evidence of laws it will help my fight.
not only do I have concerns for my users but also concerns for my driver and myself.
we have 15 service users, we pick them up from 9;00am then take them home at 3 and finish around 5 o'clock. we eat our lunch with the service users as well as helping some with feeding, serving and clearing up too.

Many thanks x

Is this a private daycare centre or Local Authority? If you provide personal care it should be registered and inspected by the Care Quality Commission (the adult equivalent but without as much bite as Ofsted). If it is registered there will be a registered manager who is the person responsible for making sure it adheres to all regulations and is safe amongst other things. There are no laid down guidelines because I believe there was a worry that if they laid down a minimum ratio then that is what all providers would use and it could be dangerous so it needed to be dependent on need.

I think that your place sounds dangerously low on staff and in your place I would be worried because you are in charge you are responsible and you don't have any protection.

I would check to see if you are regulated. If not, my understanding is that you should not be open but you can check this with the CQC 03000 616161
If you are concerned about the safety of the people you are looking after and your bosses will not act then you should phone your local authority adult safeguarding and explain the situation and find out what to do.

This is such a difficult situation for you.

 

[mancmum]

Join a union first

It is brilliant that you are professionally concerned and I for one am thankful for people like you but please also think of your own position. do join a union first before you start raising your concerns. Try to contact UNITE. As a whistleblower you do have additional protection.


For me this is just yet more evidence of services that NEED to be provided by local authorities not charitable offshoots.