Leading provider of staff monitoring systems responds to shocking report on care for the elderly
16 March 2012 – A new report just released by consumer group Which? has lambasted the standards of care provided for older people in their homes in the UK, describing them as “shocking and disgraceful”. The findings – based on both a survey and diaries kept by the elderly – found cases of missed visits, food left out of reach, medication not given and people being left in soiled beds. The report concluded that too many faced a “constant battle” to just get the basic help.
In the survey, of nearly 1,000 people, one of the most common complaints uncovered was missed or rushed visits. Nearly half of respondents said visits had been missed in the last six months, with most not being warned in advance.
Which? Executive Director, Richard Lloyd, said, “Our investigation found some disgraceful examples of care, with elderly people given little time or respect.” Which? said the situation was only likely to get worse as councils increasingly squeeze funding.
At the end of last year the Equality and Human Rights Commission said standards were so bad they even breached human rights.
More than 500,000 people rely on help at home with activities such as washing and dressing. Most local authorities across the UK contract out homecare (also called social or domiciliary care) services to independent service providers. Some are adopting some form of electronic verification of service provision – monitoring staff employed by these independent providers. Such technology can ensure that management are made aware of any service breakdown whilst safeguarding care workers.
Commenting on the Which? report, Jonathan Hudson, Managing Director of Panztel (UK) Ltd, one of the UK’s largest providers of electronic monitoring services for remote workforces, said, “This new research report is just the latest in a series that has highlighted the struggle the elderly are facing.
“The appalling conclusions of the Which? report are why more enlightened local authorities are adopting the very latest electronic monitoring technology so that management can fully and effectively monitor the remote staff employed by independent home care providers.
“As the Which? report discovered, one of the most common complaints was missed or rushed visits, but with the proper technology in place care workers operating alone in a domiciliary setting every day can be monitored to verify service delivery. Every missed visit is recorded and can be acted upon. The local authority and the relatives are in the picture. Over 40 local authorities have now adapted our eziTracker system and each case has found that there is a major improvement in service levels with a significant reduction in overall costs to local authorities”.
For more information about Panztel and their EziTracker monitoring services call them on 0845 453 4156 or visit: http://www.panztel.com.
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Issued on behalf of Panztel (UK) Ltd by Next Step Marketing Ltd
Media enquiries to: Heather Lambert
Tel: 44 (0)1256 472020
Fax: 44 (0)1256 471010
Email: heather@nextstepmarketing.co.uk
Note to Editors
Established in 1998, the Panztel Group has separate trading companies in each of its key geographical markets: Australia, New Zealand and the UK. All the companies supply and support the same key branded services: eziTracker, eziTracker hm and Loneworker Companion. Local authorities currently make up the biggest sector of registered users of Panztel services. Most of the demand comes from Adult Social Services departments where Panztel provide an invaluable service in the monitoring and safeguarding of domiciliary care staff.
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