Eight in ten say they would agree to allowing their loved ones to be filmed 24 hours, when in a care or residential home to protect them from neglect and abuse. A firm of solicitors have launched a ‘Love Our Vulnerable and Elderly’ (LOVE) campaign which calls for CCTV to be installed in all care and residential homes across the UK, against cases of abuse and neglect. Hudgell Solicitors are representing a number of families who each turned to secret filming after complaints and concerns raised with home operators and managers made little impact on the care.
The firm is supporting campaigning mum Lisa Smith, 34, of Rochdale, who took her 86-year-old dementia suffering father out of care on Christmas Eve last year, labelling the four years he was in care as ‘a living nightmare’. She established an e-petition calling for mandatory CCTV in care homes, a petition which will ensure a Government response if it reaches 10,000 signatures, and a debate in parliament if backed by 100,000. The national research, commissioned as part of the campaign and carried out by an independent research company, suggested an openness to CCTV footage being used in care homes, as relatives believe this would make them safer from abuse and neglect. It found that:
– 83pc of those surveyed would agree to their relative being filmed 24-hours a day – or would go as far as filming secretly if they felt a loved one was not being cared for.
– four in ten would not trust a care home or residential home to provide a safe environment for their loved one.
– 55pc said their biggest fear when putting a loved one into a care or residential home would be a lack of genuine care and kindness.
The survey also identified a lack of confidence in the care industry, as 23pc said that they were aware of someone that has suffered from poor quality care in a care or residential home; and 55pc of people questioned said that media stories relating to abuse and neglect have put them off placing a loved one in a care or residential home.
Renu Daly, a specialist in handling claims of abuse and neglect at Hudgell, spoke about the issue on BBC Television. She said: “What is abundantly clear from these survey results is that there is now a complete mistrust of the care industry in terms of providing a safe, loving environment for elderly and vulnerable loved ones. That is a sad situation, as we know there are many superb care providers across the UK, with staff who work exceptionally hard, often in difficult circumstances, to provide a loving, caring environment where vulnerable, elderly residents can feel happy and at home.
“Unfortunately, there have been too many cases, many of which have been in the national media, in which poor standards of care and abuse have not been prevented. It is simply not acceptable to keep hearing the excuses of ‘isolated incidents’. It should not be happening at all. The introduction of CCTV cameras can help improve standards across the board, but also protect those homes performing to a consistently high standard, as they will not be subject to false accusations of poor care.
“There should be nowhere to hide, and for those falling below the required standards, CCTV would bring about an immediate improvement in performance.”
