Mum has been with the same care agency for nearly 11 months now. She can’t walk and needs a stand aid to put her onto the commode. She pays for four double calls a day, 2 carers to spend 30 minutes a day with her. As Mum is self funding she pays around £2400 a month.
I’ve noticed recently when I’ve been around the carers literally give poor Mum two minutes on the commode.
Mum pays for four 30 minute double up calls. I set up a camera today and the morning call lasted 11 minutes, the lunchtime call 8 minutes and the tea time call 14 minutes…I have phoned and complained.
I was reassured Mum would get 10 minutes on the commode, but tonight it was the usual 3 minutes and out.
I guess I just have to keep complaining until they listen??
You are paying for 30 minutes and you should get 30 minutes, so yes complain, start writing down times and dates keep a diary.
So the care agency cannot say it was a one off.
They should not be rushing your mum on the toilet, it is not fair and not dignity.
The care system is so bad carers are having to dash from one client to another, often too many clients and no travelling time.
But you are paying for 30 minutes that’s what you are entitled to.
One carer actually said to my caree, a half hour call, I have to leave after 20 minutes to get to my next client on time, no 30 minutes means 30 minutes.
Contact the CQC as well there are probably many other clients who are paying and not getting a good service.
Alan, they are FRAUDULENTLY claiming to have done something when they haven’t.
The issue of mileage has been addressed in recent years, it was made clear that travelling time should be paid for by the care agency employing the carers.
Agree with bb. What are they writing in the careplan records? Does your mum get given any medication. Id check that the medication administration record is complete, accurate and timely as well.
I had problems with fraudulent activity and entries on care record. I gathered my evidence, and was successful in reclaiming monies back through a formal safeguarding hearing. They are acting fraudulently, shortchanging your mother, this is both the carers and care agency. Depending on what the care records show re time at mum’s hom e, any such discrepancy is equally serious.
In my experience I think this behaviour is quite common. If the council is picking up the bill, the family nevers sees the invoices. Mums care was arranged through the council but mum then was sent invoices by the council. It was then it became obvious that the care agency was not adjusting charges for less service. They were continuing to bill the full amount each month.
I had a large amount of evidence when I called CQC and they forwarded the issue to the council’s adult safeguarding officer. You can contact safeguarding directly.
My Mum is self funding, every month I have to pick up the phone and pay around £2400 on Mums card. I realised a long time ago I’m not getting any inheritance…
I complained and the manager said that from now on Mum would get 10 minutes on the commode every call, it worked for one day, now the carers just write “had 10 minutes on the commode” every call despite me being present for the past two calls and knowing its not true.
you have two options, stick with this agency and continue to complain until the issue is sorted or investigate different agencies. if you go with the latter, be upfront from the start, explain what your Mum needs and explain that her current agency aren’t allowing her a full 10 mins on the commode nor staying the full half hour. This will ensure they are aware that agreeing they can met her needs and then not doing so won’t be tolerated.
Make a mental note of each episode. Jot down details and then proceed with a complaint formally. I agree that this is really serious and something needs to be done about this now.
My caree had all the care set up on his tablet, he could see when they were turning up every day and it showed the times clock in 8.02, clock out 8.29.
So it gave an electronic record for everyone to see.
Useful for relatives they could log in check everything was alright, carers turning up as they should.
So was a good care agency in that respect.
Other agencys had a manual folder, carers had to put date time and what they done, wash dress breakfast etc.
There should be some records especially as you are paying yourselfs.
Things improved for a while, I’m scared about annoying the agency as they were the only ones in the area capable of taking on four doubles ups a day, the only alternative is a nursing home for Mum which neither of us want.
Today Mums morning call lasted 13 minutes, which is unacceptable, was given less than 5 minutes on the commode at night, I was in the house and they claimed Mum shouted she was ready, I must be going deaf.
I have a ring doorbell and will be recording times again. At £2400 a month I shouldn’t be forced into doing this!!!
It is very difficult to get good quality care and yes you should not have to record the carers.
The only other way if there are no other agencys is to employ carers yourself.
Adverts in the paper/Newsagents windows and you could build yourself up a team of carers doing your hours.
There are carers who do not work for agencys just work for themselves.
I have seen a few in my area, have a little car with writing on, Home Care supplied phone etc.
But again difficult if one of your carers is sick you would have to find a replacement, unlike agencys who will just send another carer.
I know of carees who do use these private carers instead of an agency and works fairly well, so might be worth a try.
You would have to ensure 365 days coverage, account for holidays etc, you would have to research tax etc as technically you would be a boss, working out hours, time sheets, wages so not as easy as you think.
Hi Alan! £2400 per month is a ridiculous amount of money for the services provided. Especially since you are saying they are barely existent. Is this only Monday to Friday? Or every day? For the same amount of money, you could even get live-in care for her. I hired an amazing Filipino carer for my grandmother. She lives in the house from Monday to Friday. I am not familiar with domicilia1ry care, but based on what you’ve explained, I suggest you do something to change the situation. Your mum deserves better!
It’s actually what you could call a perfectly normal rate if the service provided was actually what is being paid for.
4 double handed visits per day for 30 minutes = 4 hours per day - you won’t find many agencies charging less than £20 per hour - so 4 X £20 = £80 x 30 days = £2.400.00.
I pay £28.74 per hour for my wife’s carers, but I have no complaints about them, and it’s fully covered by her Attendance Allowance with about £6.00 left over.
Ayjay is spot on about the fees, £20 an hour for this kind of service is standard. Sadly less than half goes to the actual carers themselves…
My main complaint would be the need for Mum to have double up calls, I’m told its for Health and Safety, yet whenever it suits the agency they only send one carer who does the job perfectly but spends a bit more time.
My wife has to be hoisted for any transfers, but I’m the designated second carer for that, our carers definitely wouldn’t do it on their own - it is a H&S issue - they’re not even allowed to take her from the bedroom to the bathroom to put her on her bath seat - but I do, on my own, and all the other transfers on my own, seven mornings from commode to wheelchair and seven nights from wheelchair to bed - the carers do four mornings from bed to commode with me as the engine and that’s it.
Im hoping they are not charging you for two carers when only one shows up! I had this issue with mum’s care and took them to safeguarding and got about £1400 back. How many signatures in the careplan when this happens? Is one carer forging the other’s signature Is it the agency that is only sending one carer. It is a health and safety issue for carees who cannot support themselves