Quick question.

[Grommit]

I am experiencing difficulties with carers at the moment.

I keep getting messages at work to tell me that Jean is on the rampage and that they are fearful for their safety.

So they pack in and leave the house.

I just wondered if anyone had experience of a patient physically attacking a carer and rendering them unfit for work.

Would I be liable for compensation, loss of earnings etc if this ocurred?

I do not think that my home insurance would cover this but am about to make enquiries, carefully as I do not want my premiums to shoot up to an unacceptable level.

 

[jenniferpa]

Are these agency workers? Because if so, does not the agency have the responsibility to provide the appropriate insurance?

 

[Grommit]

Thanks for the response Jenniferpa.
They are charity workers and I am not sure what their cover is.

Good point though, I had better make the necessary enquiries of the charity involved.

 

[Grannie G]

If the carers are employed to care, what is the position if they abandon their charge and s/he comes to harm.
I find this very disturbing. Admittedly carers should not be attacked but nor should they abdicate their responsibilities.

 

[sue38]

Grommit,

Don't want to add to your worries, but my parents' former partner has Parkinsons and dementia. She is cared for in her own home and one of the carer's boyfriends, sneaking in to see his girlfriend, tripped over the ramp at the back of the house and tried to sue Sometimes I despair for my so called profession.

We referred it to the home insurance and lost touch with the claim.

I would check the insurance of the carer's employers.

 

[Cate]

Hi Cariad

I would think that the carer would have their own insurance, not just their own personal injury insurance, but also the insurance should cover anything that they might break whilst in your home.

They should also have their own manual handing/lifting certificate, although I believe for Health and Safety reasons they are not obliged to pick a client up off the floor, but to make them comfortable until paramedics arrive.

Leaving Jean on her own. They have a duty of care to Jean and to you. They have entered into a contract with you, be it verbally or written to stay with Jean for a stipulated number of hours, that said, there is a huge moral obligation here, so to cut and run leaving Jean vulnerable is nothing short of shoddy.

I can understand that they may wish to remove themselves to another room until things calm down, or to even stand outside the back door if necessary, but to actually leave her own her own, is just not acceptable.

I would certainly ask for a meeting with the supervisor to check the insurance situation out, and to iron out the difficulties you are having with them leaving Jean on her own.

Good luck.

Love
Cate xx