Reporting a care home

[Snippysnips]

Looking for some advice on how you can submit anonymous reports on the welfare of staff at a care home in Scotland

So my dad has been working at this care home now for a few years, he works there as a catering assistant, the problem I have is they are constantly taken advantage of him, my dad has well over 40 years in the food industry, he has all his qualifications, has been a head chef for many places including on the oil rigs where he worked for a years, he didn't want to be chef at the care home as he wanted to step back since he's older plus he didn't want to do all the ordering etc

I am getting tired of him coming home an telling me "this one never showed up so I had to do it alone, that one went home so I was left with it, this one phoned in sick so no one was there, that one went to cash an carry for the entire day" there's been times where he's said he's had to stop food going out because it's not cooked right because the chefs don't know how to cook, he had to stop chicken going out one day because it was PINK an apparently the chef didn't realise it couldn't go out like that, he also had to make lasagne because again the chef didn't know how to make that, they constantly leave him being the "chef" because they know he can do it and they can't, but there's a difference in pay between chef an catering assistant so technically he's doing the chefs work for catering assistant wage because the chefs either piss off, don't come in, or phone sick an he's left with it all

Now they are taken advantage of his poor memory, they had him believing he had worked Xmas the last two years an needed to work this year so he agreed, THIS IS THE THIRD YEAR RUNNING HE'S WORKED XMAS, I am just tired of it all now, my dad won't speak up, he never has spoken up, he just sits back an does whatever, it's lead to many arguments because we are tired of the treatment an he won't do anything about it

The other thing is they have him paying £10 a month into some lottory, but they decide what week its drawn on plus they give him his number, one week his number come out an he was told "oh we don't draw it this week" to me it's nothing but a scam

I'd love to report this place, one for the scams that run in it an secondly for the fact the chefs can't cook which to me any vulnerable person should have someone who can cook, the elderly are paying £1000 a week to live here an the conditions are atrocious, they deserve much better not just in food but also the owners do nothing, even before covid they barely got a thing while other care homes are getting days out, entertainment etc

 

[Gossipreadee]

Normally you could look at the website of the care home and it will have an area where you can report concerns.

second of all you need to figure out if it’s the care home you’re reporting or the catering department because often these are 2 different companies. And maybe you need to consider reporting to the food safety agency locally.

thirdly is this something your dad would appreciate you doing.A lot of people come home with moans and groans from work and I’m not trying to down play them because some of that does sound bad but would your dad want you to go and report these concerns. Because why hasn’t he done it himself already if it is that bad?

 

[Snippysnips]

It's a private care home so there's nothing on the website I can use to report, this is the problem, it's not owned by bupa or any of the bigger ones so everything can get swept under the carpet with this place

He won't report it just because he's that type, he won't speak up about anything despite coming home in a temper because of what's going on, he has had opportunitys countless times to really put them all in deep crap but keeps his mouth closed, it's just his way, I dare say at first he wouldn't be too pleased but he would get over it an he would see it was the right thing to speak out, it just takes a while for him to see that what's happening is wrong

Really if I put in a anonymous report I just want it to be a stepping stone into being investigated, honestly the home itself would do the work with showing just how bad it is, it's more a nudge I want to give, personally the elderly deserve better an deserve to eat a dinner without relatives worrying about food poisoning, my dad doesn't work 24/7 so god knows what goes out when he's not there

 

[Valentina]

I think the first place for you to look is on the Quality Care Commission website. There is a section for care homes and you can see their report for the care home you are concerned about. I'm sure there will be an area where you can report your concerns, particularly about food safety. It sounds like your dad is being taken advantage of and I'm not sure what can be done about that if he is reluctant or unable to assert himself. I feel for you because it's horrible seeing someone you care about being used.

 

[Snippysnips]

Thanks I'll have a look, an thanks yeah it really gets to me to know what's going on an yet he won't do nothing, there's been times he's worked 10 days in a row an then had a day off only to be phoned to go into work because no one's showed up an because he won't leave the elderly without food he will do it so he's losing his days off as well all because the others will drink at night an then phone in with hangovers, it's like Xmas, one of the staff said they just weren't going to do it because they didn't want to, Xmas day comes an a sick line is handed in, normal company's would pull you up about that but yet they don't care because they have my dad as the scapegoat for it all, so they know the staff are taken advantage an won't do anything

 

[BR006]

Can I ask is this care home in central Scotland? I have heard of major issues with a care home that a relative has someone in. Not being cared for properly, can’t account for where his money is going etc. It would be interesting to see if it is the same one. A few residents are being moved out after social work got involved.

 

[Snippysnips]

Can I ask is this care home in central Scotland? I have heard of major issues with a care home that a relative has someone in. Not being cared for properly, can’t account for where his money is going etc. It would be interesting to see if it is the same one. A few residents are being moved out after social work got involved.

It is, an honestly wouldn't surprise me if it was the same one because I do know they have a bad reputation an it's why they struggle for staff, the staff turnover in the place is ridiculous

There's actually plains to turn half into a care home an half into a type of home for troubled teens which to me actually sickens me, at the end of the day I know troubled teens need a place to live but putting them with vulnerable elderly many of which have dementia is not the place to do it, but the owner will get more money for it an that's all he cares about

 

[Blue pumpkin]

You can report annonymously to CQC or the local authority, however, because they won't have your contact details it means you won't get feedback or an update on findings and outcomes which you may find frustrating.

Also, their main concern will be the welfare of the residents.

Any complaints your Dad has about his employer will need to be heard at an employment tribunal.

 

[Snippysnips]

Thanks, I dare say feedback would come back to me in the form of my dad saying the place has been turned upside down, for all I am frustrated with him an him not saying anything about his treatment I am still concerned with the elderly, when he come home that day an said he had to stop chicken going out because it was pink made me worry what goes on when he's not there, there's also nothing to stop them leaving the home as well when reception goes home as one of the lounges is right accross from the main door an there's never staff there, I've been in countless times an seen some of them approach the door an not a staff member in site to either stop them or see who's coming in