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Care Campaign for the Vulnerable comment re Panorama Edenfield Centre Abuse expose. Ref Care Home Professional - https://www.carehomeprofessional.com/nothing-has-been-learned-from-past-care-scandals-as-bbc-panorama-exposes-abuse/

The Panorama Expose this week confirming the cultural of abuse at Edenfield Centre is best described as ‘more of the same’. Clearly nothing has been learned from the Winterbourne scandal, or the Muckamore Abbey perpetual abuse culture, or the Whorlton Hall Hospital debacle or the very many others over the years that have briefly entered our awareness then faded to become distant memories. Each time we express various emotions, from those of visceral rage to feelings of hopelessness and resignation. The usual responses of ‘patient safety and welfare are a top priority’ can be guaranteed and each time are trotted out by the care providerbut each time, when the dust settles, little will probably actually change.

We all expect that all vulnerable people get to live in a place of safety, one that respects their individuality and choices but also ensures their safety is guaranteed.

This latest scandal was entirely preventable. This was a CQC rated good facility, yet clearly a culture of abuse has existed for a very long time. The regulator remains completely ineffective because the systems and processes for inspection and ongoing monitoring are beyond useless. Unless a witness who is prepared to be a whistle-blower is present at each and every single incident of abuse, nothing will change. That witness can be remote if needs be, a professionally qualified staff member who monitor facilities using camera technologies. In such circumstances they view inappropriate behaviour and raise that will the provider and the regulator.

Companies like Care Protect for example, have been installing safety and monitoring systems in mental health hospitals for many years. Those systems deploy cameras at locations in which vulnerable people live. That company has demonstrated time and time again that such systems have preserved life, prevented serious harm and because of randomised audit, eradicated abuse and inappropriate behaviour. Systems have totally protected vulnerable people from poor culture and repetitive abusive care practices. Independent sector mental health providers such as Priory Group, Huntercombe, Caretech are all deploying such systems and where used, have noted very significant improvements in patient and resident safeguarding.

In truth, without a deterrent or everyday independent supervision, nothing will change. We all recall the prison sentences that were handed down to former Winterbourne View staff, yet that appears to have had absolutely no effect in reducing the volume of very serious safeguarding complaints made since.

Care Campaign for the Vulnerable is again calling for the mandatory use of independent camera monitoring systems to safeguard vulnerable people. Muckamore was an example of a facility that used a form of CCTV, however as that was internally monitored by members of staff, either the findings were ignored or not actually ever viewed. We are calling for independent monitoring by health and social care professionals who understand what precisely they are viewing

Over the last six years since our inception, we have witnessedthat in a number of care homes, regular independent monitoring has positively assisted with culture change, has improved the standard of care, has eradicated the ‘unexplained injuries’ events, promoted much more focussed staff training, supported disciplinary management and created a much more open and transparent service for families.

It is now imperative that the Regulator completely re-visits how care services are monitored, how vulnerable people are truly safeguarded, what technologies can be used to deter abusers to even seek employment in care facilities and what systems can be implemented to ensure visual evidence is gathered to ensure the perpetrators of abuse answer for their crimes and vulnerable people have the justice they so rightly deserve.

Follow the link below to view the Edenfield Centre Abuse Expose https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001ckxr/panorama-undercover-hospital-patients-at-risk - xtor=CS8-1000-%5BEditorialPromo_Box%5D-%5BNewsEditorial_Promo%5D-%5BNewsEditorial_Promo%5D-%5BPS_IPLAYER~N~m001ckxr~P_UndercoverHospitalWS%5D