Fear of making a complaint
Nationally the dignity campaign has illustrated concerns around complaints making - both in terms of access to the complaints process but arguably more critically, fear of retribution. Local consultation bears this out.
Here in Greenwich we are very keen to examine a new approach. We know people are often put off by the formal process of complaint making yet we clearly need to capture these concerns.
We want to consider less formal (ie less frightening from the customers perspective ) ways of supporting people to 'raise concerns' about poor practice as well as provide the reassurance that retribution will not be tolerated. Have any other Dignity Leads tackled this issue?
I am a dignity champion but not an NHS employee so my suggestion may not be what you are looking for. I believe that patients and relatives should be given the opportunity to make a complaint about staff/conditions anonymously, so would like to see a special box on all wards, labelled
COMPLAINTS OR COMPLIMENTS.
Hi Caroline,
I havent yet tackled this issue but I agree people are frightened of complaining. I think that is a society issue as people across the board are poor at complaining.
maybe within our services we should call it something other than complaints as I agree we do need to capture concerns about the services. I have a suggestion box which is poorly used so that is not the answer for me.
In the NHS hopsitals there are red boxes about with PALS written on them you could always put in a complaint in one of those if it is about the hospital.
I think that black/red boxes are a good idea but they need to be constantly promoted. After all MacDonalds never stop advertising!!
Big signs such as "Put your suggestion here" etc....
Or signs such as 'We empty this box weekly' and every suggestion is dealt with. If you leave your name we can reply to you personally.
Only a few ideas.
Also a pro-active Nurse Director collecting real patient stories and presenting them at every Board meeting - warts and all - might be another idea.
If I was a Board member I would question if there were none!!
Regards,
Lorraine
You can make complaint potentially via the PALs, ICAS and in some circumstances IMCA organisations. Where your observation is not simply a complaint but might lead to an improvement in Health & Social Care put the matter before your local LINk organisation. LINk will treat your issue anonmously and has statutory powers to require an answer to written question and of Enter & View, into Hospital Wards and Residential Care Homes.
Further information on each of these organisations and your local contact can be found on the internet.
Each LINk is independant and run by individuals from your community - it is your vehicle to have your voice heard.
I think it is a good idea to be able to make complaints anonymously. I do not work for a Care Home but visit my Mother in one. I made a serious complaint to the Care Manager and recorded it with her permission. The following week I was shocked to find that the Manager had been moved to another home, I was forbidden to be allowed to see my Mother and there was no record of my complaint. The new Manager said that I was an abuser and yet had never met me before. I battled for almost 6 months to be allowed to see my Mother. Eventually I was allowed back in but had to be supervised for 1 hour once a week along with every member of my family and my brothers family. This was all due to the fact that I had complained!!! I now visit my Mother but take her out of the Home to spend time with her but am too frightened to complain. She had no underwear and no socks on when I took her out last week -I had spent £40 on new underwear 2 weeks ago, when I looked in her cupboard she did not have a bra or any pants or socks! I dare not say a word! Social Services are no help they tell me they get on fine with the Home. Some homes are not Care Homes but dumping grounds. I Love my Mother but wish she could be realeased from this hell and that will only happen when she dies.
I am so pleased there are people out there trying to make a difference but please be aware there are Homes who are a law unto themselves and do not know what dignity, respect or fairness is!!!!
Hi Julie,
I find your email very disturbing, and my heart goes out to you. I am
the manager of a registered care home, but also a dignity champion. I
would be very happy to discuss with you by phone your situation if you
wish, you can contact me by email [log in to view email address]
And I will advise you how to proceed in a safe way.
Kindest regards and best wishes.
Mac.
My goodness me this is dreadful. What on earth can we do to sort these people out that run bad homes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sandra
I think this is absolutely dreadful we must try and find a way to get rid of these so called people who are put in charge of some homes. Thank god my mothers last few years were spent in a brilliant home. There are inspectors that go around these homes I just know how to contact them at the moment. You should be able to complain to them. I will try and get an address for you. Is there any chance you could move your mother to another home?
Sandra
Julie,
This is horrendous. You must urgently make an appointment to see the local Inspection officer for that Home.
Take someone with you, and make notes of your meeting asking for a date to contact again when they have visited the home.
Also contact Action on Elder Abuse at the same time and take their advice. www.elderabuse.org.uk
Yours and your mother's human rights are being denied. This is restraint (and hence abuse and imprisonment) of your mother.
I have no doubt that what you are telling us is against the law of this country.
Let us know what happens.
Lorraine
A Dignified Revolution (www.dignifiedrevolution.org.uk)
I am completely speechless at this story, it seems incredulous, why dont you go and get her and put her in another home, there is no way in this world any care home would stop me seeing my mother. I am a manager of a care home and the only way i could uphold this would be if vulnerable adults were involved and there was agreement from a lot of people that the individual was being abused. if this is the care home stopping you phone the police, phone the newspapers, phone age concern, phone everyone!!! they cant do it legally or morally
Hi Julie
I am so sorry to hear that you have to spend your mothers winter of
her life like this. My heart goers out to you.
My mother meant the world to me and God help anyone who stood in the
way of that, I'm with you all the way on this one. What right has a
Company got to tell you what to do? Just because your mother now needs
that type of care they don't own her, but they need her rent.
I also understand what you are saying about making a complaint or
whistle blowing as some call it. I am being penalised for standing up
for the the rights of residents or whistle blowing, to the extent I've
had to leave my job and the residents I love so dearly. Oh what a sad
society we live in. Don't let the B's grind you down. Keep trudging
on, it all adds to making a difference one day.
>----Original Message----
>From: [log in to view email address]
>Date: 22/04/2010 19:07
>To: <[log in to view email address]>
>Subj: [Dignity Champions Discussion Forum] - Re: Fear of making a
complaint
>
>I think it is a good idea to be able to make complaints anonymously.
I do not work for a Care Home but visit my Mother in one. I made a
serious complaint to the Care Manager and recorded it with her
permission. The following week I was shocked to find that the Manager
had been moved to another home, I was forbidden to be allowed to see my
Mother and there was no record of my complaint. The new Manager said
that I was an abuser and yet had never met me before. I battled for
almost 6 months to be allowed to see my Mother. Eventually I was
allowed back in but had to be supervised for 1 hour once a week along
with every member of my family and my brothers family. This was all due
to the fact that I had complained!!! I now visit my Mother but take
her out of the Home to spend time with her but am too frightened to
complain. She had no underwear and no socks on when I took her out
last week -I had spent £40 on new underwear 2
>weeks ago, when I looked in her cupboard she did not have a bra or
any pants or socks! I dare not say a word! Social Services are no help
they tell me they get on fine with the Home. Some homes are not Care
Homes but dumping grounds. I Love my Mother but wish she could be
realeased from this hell and that will only happen when she dies.
>I am so pleased there are people out there trying to make a
difference but please be aware there are Homes who are a law unto
themselves and do not know what dignity, respect or fairness is!!!!
Hi Julie
I am so sorry to hear that you have to spend your mother's winter of her life like this, my heart goes out to you. My mother meant the world to me and God help anyone who stood in the way of that, so I'm with you all the way on this one.
What right has a Company got to tell you what to do? Just because your mother now needs that type of care they don't own her, but they do need her rent.
I also understand what you are saying about making a complaint or whistle blowing as some call it as I am being penalised for standing up for the rights of the residents or should I say whistle blowing, to the extent I've had to leave my job and the residents I love so dearly.
Oh what a sad society we live in. Don't let the B***'s grind you down, don't give up and keep soldiering on and maybe it will all help to make a difference one day.
Hopefully before the winter of our lives!
Good Luck,
regards
Sally
working in a care home, in a role that is designed to help the look after the resident's wellbeing, I find this very upsetting. I am lucky to be in a home where the manager realy cares for the dignity and respect of the resident's. It is very sad to here that their are care homes out there that still do not care about their residents.