Russ Dawkins Jul 23, 10:12 AM BST
Sirs,
I read some of the ‘ care reports ‘
I think you need to have an option for the clients to write reports about the Carers.
The things written are often very inaccurate, and totally subjective, obviously.
As the Carers often have very poor literary skills, they make for confusing reading indeed.
I have serious issues with being described as I am sometimes.
The incompetence of many of your Carers is a huge issue.
The quality of your staff is what you need to address, rather than any ‘ mood analysis ‘ of a highly intelligent client by a very low intelligence Carer.
I note that you don’t actually sign off any of their reports at all?
Surely that is very contrary to the QCC guidance?
Martin Mayega (Cera) Jul 23, 3:31 PM BST
Dear Mr. Dawkins
My name is Martin Mayega, and I am the registered Manager for Cera care.
Thanks ever so much for your candid feedback concerning the carer reports.
Part of the reason for making reports accessible to clients is to encourage transparency, dialogue and a sense of inclusion.
There have been many occasions where service user families have benefited a lot from some of the information that carers have shared within the reports. It is rather unfortunate that your experience on this occasion has not been as positive as we all would have hoped.Concerning the quality and calibre of the reports, we do review them on an on-going basis. CQC requires us to review and sign off the content of our reports on a monthly basis and the nature of our care reports gives us an opportunity to review and sign them off even sooner. All our care reports are reviewed and signed off by either our Clinical Services Manager or Registered Manager within a period of one month or less.
As part of our sign off process, we write to some carers and invite others for supervisions in the event we realise that their care reports do not represent the standards set by Cera care. We have sent out newsletter articles in the past, emphasising the quality and accuracy of the care reports, and part of our Induction training involves taking carers through the process of completing the care reports.
We will be reviewing the care reports in this package and we will be addressing your concerns as a result.
Regarding the quality of our staff, we do take your observation on board. Apart from our robust selection process, which involves obtaining satisfactory references and ensuring the right level of experience, our Induction training takes four days and that includes a day’s medication training. An area we are continually working on is that of matching the right candidate to the right client. In some instances, it is just a question of both the service user and the carer gelling well from the outset. In some instances, this may not happen and this is where an honest feedback from either the carer or the service user becomes useful in ensuring that we address the situation sooner rather than later.
Kind regards
Martin K. Mayega
Dear Martin,
I’d dearly love to see your ‘ robust selection process ‘ for myself. As a business owner of many years, I can truly say that I would take on very few of your staff even for the most menial of tasks.Some are ‘ capable ‘ but unwilling, and the majority are largely ‘ incapable ‘.I realise that I am unusual as a client, as I’m not old or feeble or both, rather I have my own mind and my own standards, including expectations of staff working attitude.Your carers are clearly unnerved by me, as they are used to being in the dominant role and not being challenged in any way at all, in terms of how they perform.In plain English, when I ask them to do something in a different ( and more logical and effective manner ) they really don’t like it, rather than learning from someone who is suggesting a better method.Ref thé care reports on me, NONE of mine, going back years, have been signed off. This is extremely poor practice.I recently saw your nurse. Her findings have NOT been implemented at all. The staff dont even ask about my medications, let alone offer them to me? If I had dementia I’d be at severe risk, for sure. Most of your carers have little or no regard for standards, and you do NOT check on them.May i suggest that you actually ask the clients what they think ?In my opinion CERA should be closed down as a Care Agency, as it fails on so many levels.I shall be moving on on Wednesday, but remain scarred by the care quality you have ( NOT ) provided.Yours sincerely,Russell Dawkins
Russ you are so right. My Husband had me to look out for him when the Carers arrived. I think if he had been on his own in the poor mental state he was in the Carers would have walked over him. The Palliative Nurse from the Hospice he was under wasn’t much better. He didn’t like me being there as I didn’t agree to everything he suggested. When I read my Husband’s notes he said I was hard to get on with and tone aggressive. Yes I was, no way was I going to let anyone walk all over my him. Love to you as always. Margaret x x PS I will come and see you one afternoon – i don’t know where you are living now.