Allowing worried families access to CCTV could help prevent abuse cases at care homes says Jonathan Ratcliffe of CCTV.co.uk
Thanks to the undercover journalism by programmes including BBC Panorama, we have all become aware of the harrowing abuse suffered by residents in a small number of care homes in the UK. Tragic cases of abuse such as those seen at Whorlton Hall are thankfully very rare, but it is still deeply worrying to many people with relatives in care.
I propose a solution to give the families of elderly people in care homes extra peace of mind and say it’s time that families should be given 24-hour CCTV access to the care homes responsible for their elderly relatives, and that this become a legal requirement in the UK.
Families are more concerned than ever that their relatives may be harmed or taken advantage of, and with round-the-clock CCTV they can instantly check in to ensure their loved ones are being properly looked after at any time of day.
This remote access direct into the heart of a care home will give reassurance to anxious families who can’t be there all the time, relieving any worry that abuse may be going on, and any guilt they might feel if they don’t spot it in time.
As more and more families come forward to express their worries about abuse in care, CCTV.co.uk is now calling on the Government to make this 24-hour CCTV surveillance a legal requirement in both care homes and hospitals.
Not one person who watched the BBC Panorama programme can say they weren’t moved by the horrific footage of bullying and abuse. Families need to know their loved ones are being looked after properly, CCTV can provide this. Families should be given 24/7 access to view all cameras in a care home of a loved one – if there is nothing to hide, there is no problem.
