Care company neglecting vulnerable people who are 'invisible and suffering in silence', says support worker

A support worker based in Pendle has described how a care company neglects vulnerable people, saying they are "invisible and suffering in silence".
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The full-time employee, who wishes to remain anonymous, said understaffing stops people with severe disabilities from living more independently.

He said he struggles mentally with the “overwhelming” and "depressing" working pressures and the lack of time to help people with complex needs build life skills.

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"The company gives them the lowest standard [of care] that needs meeting. They sit in the house doing nothing and do not get support to go into the community.

Generic picture of somebody in despair or feeling worried, posed by a model.Generic picture of somebody in despair or feeling worried, posed by a model.
Generic picture of somebody in despair or feeling worried, posed by a model.

"To me, that is neglect in a sense.

"I think that care is an invisible problem. Challenging people are going under the radar. They don’t take a step outside, [and the company is] not addressing all those issues.

"I feel so sorry for them: they’re not being cared for.

"They’re just invisible and suffering in silence."

A support worker holding the hand of a vulnerable person.A support worker holding the hand of a vulnerable person.
A support worker holding the hand of a vulnerable person.

Care bosses rely heavily on cheaper and untrained agency staff to plug the gaps in the workforce.

"It’s almost like [the company] is exploiting people, in my opinion," said the support worker, who has been in the industry for nearly a decade.

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The Government expects all new healthcare assistants and social care support workers to achieve a Care Certificate within 12 weeks of employment.

But many agency staff at the company have not completed their certificates. And managers are so short-staffed that they do not penalise them for it, which the support worker brands a "vicious circle".

Many leave the company after just a day on the job or take sick leave due to being put in "dangerous" situations and violently attacked by the people they support.

"It’s been a big problem, especially since Covid. The role gets overwhelming for them because it is too complex.

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"It’s lackadaisical in how the company hires and trains people. One agency worker has no care training.

"Staff who are untrained in giving medication in a medical emergency are left alone to support people. They have to ring paramedics to administer medication.

"To me, it’s a dangerous situation. But it happens all the time. If [an ambulance] takes too long, there could be serious consequences, even death."

He says agency staff cannot access company computers to fill out health and safety logs - with only a third completed weekly.

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And they do not regularly stick to the routines that a vulnerable person requires, triggering unhealthy behaviours like violence.

Full-time staff must pick up the pieces and fill in the "massive hole" left behind in the team.

"I can only go two months before I need a break. I feel like I’m in a cycle of being unable to meet a person's needs.

"You try to do your best for them, but you can’t, no matter what you do. There are always problems to solve and shifts to cover. It’s very stressful.

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"It’s supposed to be about giving someone the best life you can and helping them to grow, but you deal with a backlog of issues and don’t get to do anything worthwhile.

"It’s depressing. Many people start the job and think it’s not worth the money. They are tired of just getting through each day and dealing with these problems. It has a mental toll on you.

“I have lived in this bubble for so long, so it’s hard to imagine any changes. You get managers promising change, and nothing ever happens."

The support worker would like to see the Government professionalise the sector by extending the care certificate into a training course to be included in the job advertisement.

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He also believes stricter consequences are required when people do not meet the training standards, saying: “Managers need to knuckle down and make them matter more.”

Pendle Support is not the subject of the article.

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