Duty of candour to be extended to care homes?

[FifiMo]

Health secretary is considering extending the duty of candour recommended in the Francis report in to the NHS hospital in Staffordshire, should be extended to include care homes.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/pol...unt-care-home-staff-must-report-failures.html

This cannot happen fast enough as far as I am concerned. For these people to even have to consider making candour a duty speaks volumes.

Fiona

 

[KentJude]

Agreed Fiona, this duty should already exist, perhaps then thousands of us wouldn't have had to put our lives on hold because of having to bring loved ones back home to care for them due to the failure of care homes or live in agencies in the area to give them even the basics of care and compassion.

If the law is also changed to make it a criminal offence to neglect or fail to ensure the health and safety of a care home resident, within reason, that would also help our vulnerable relatives. The culture must change and there should be, that overused but apt phrase, zero tolerance.

Jude

 

[TinaT]

His comments came as campaigners warned that two-thirds of English councils had cut their funding for older people’s home care.

Found this buried in the report. How can the government possibly continue to promote care in the home, in fact not just promore but push it onto people! I would not be surprised to find a future scandle where some elderly, frail person is struggling on alone in their own home without any help available and some catastrophy befalling them. Pretty sure this will be a shocking news item soon!

We have laws in this country to protect our people. Why there needs to be a debate about whether to make it complulsory under the law for whistle blowing should have been thought about years and years ago.

xxTinaT

 

[Sweetcheeks]

I don't believe that CH can or will 'police' themselves when money is there driving force. How can we trust them to do this? Having witnessed first hand how they operate I just don't believe this will work, they know how to manipulate the system to the max!!

 

[jenniferpa]

I don't believe that CH can or will 'police' themselves when money is there driving force. How can we trust them to do this? Having witnessed first hand how they operate I just don't believe this will work, they know how to manipulate the system to the max!!

While this may be your view, that's all it is - your view. Some care homes may be like this, some are not. To state that all of anything is untrustworthy is inappropriate in my view.

 

[lin1]

I have experienced bad care with both of my parents over many years
I am afraid you lose all trust, with me it is a case of once bitten twice shy
Its all well and good making rules and guidelines
but places need to be vetted often and we all know they cant/wont do this

IMO till the right heads roll, I mean prison and fines, little will change

 

[Jancis]

I don't believe that CH can or will 'police' themselves when money is there driving force. How can we trust them to do this? Having witnessed first hand how they operate I just don't believe this will work, they know how to manipulate the system to the max!!

I'm sure there are many carehomes where money comes before compassionate care and so your view is a valid one in my opinion Sweetcheeks.
I have also had first hand experience of how a care home can manipulate the system and the truth.

 

[Molecatcher]

While this may be your view, that's all it is - your view. Some care homes may be like this, some are not. To state that all of anything is untrustworthy is inappropriate in my view.

Are you saying this with your 'moderator's hat' on? A rather strange form of moderation, if you are...

By the way, I think you need to read the British press a bit more before you start asserting that someone's view is inappropriate. You might see what the care system in this country has come to... Care homes are in it for the money. The government are actively making it more and more difficult for people to be cared for within the NHS, so the only alternative is the vampire big business care home groups. Southern Cross, Colton care etc etc. they are not in it for philanthropic reasons, you know. If there was no money in it, they wouldn't exist.
>molecatcher<

 

[jenniferpa]

Welcome to Talking Point Molecatcher.

You're new, so you probably aren't aware: moderators post as members unless they expressly say they are posting as moderators.

So this is my opinion, just as yours is, I assume, yours.

It's my view, from my personal experience, that a home can be a profit making enterprise but still follow the rules, stick to the law, and do a good job. I found that to be true with my mother, and I know others have also found that to be true. I totally understand that some people have found that not to be the case - I just take issue with tarring an entire industry with the same brush. That would hardly be balanced.

 

[gringo]

I have such problems with threads like this. My wife is in a CH. and I find life tough enough without people telling me ‘look behind you’. I do look behind me. I visit each day and I am always checking. What more can I do?
I make a point of talking to the staff, letting them know of any concerns I have. I find that they appreciate this and reciprocate.
Visiting daily brings it’s own problems as I am only too aware, but on balance, I reckon that if the staff know that I’m going to turn up each day, they are less liable to cut corners.
From what I’ve seen, the carers, in these places generally do a good job. It’s a hard way to earn a living.
There is good and bad everywhere, and what is good to-day may not be good to-morrow.
I don’t take anything for granted.

 

[Chemmy]

Well said, gringo.

It's vigilant relatives like you who will make the difference.

 

[FifiMo]

Gringo,

You're doing as much as you can and more. I wish there didn't have to be threads like this too. Maybe one day we'll get there.

Fiona

 

[Sweetcheeks]

While this may be your view, that's all it is - your view. Some care homes may be like this, some are not. To state that all of anything is untrustworthy is inappropriate in my view.

Yes it is my view which I am entitled to express and also the view of a lot of people I know. The good ones seem to be few and far between! And as I didn't name any of them perhaps you could explain why what I have said is inappropriate? Self policing of any organisation is never workable when they have there own interests at the forefront!!

 

[bmw777]

interesting thread

care homes are a very profitable business ..
so the ££££ must be at the heart of every decision