suspended from work :( epic post

[veryverypissedoffcarer]

Have NC for this. DH was suspended from work last Monday pending investigation of an alleged incident on the Sunday night (night shift worker in nursing home). He's alleged to have roughly handled a resident and been verbally abusive towards the resident. According to DH, he was assisting another carer with personal care of the resident and was being hit and scratched by the resident. He kept on telling the resident to stop hitting him while he was supporting her weight as she was on her side. The resident continued to scratch and hit him until he finally raised his voice and told her to stop. They finished working with the resident, got her resettled back into bed and left the room.

The other carer at no time raised any concerns about the way he had spoken to the resident nor did she say anything to him about the way he was handling the resident. Just to clarify, all care was done according to the care plan for the resident, correct equipment used etc. During the course of the shift both the other carer (A) and the nurse in charge (B) slept for approx 2-3 hrs leaving DH as the only carer awake to care for 24 residents. DH kept on waking them to help as he did not feel that the environment was safe. He finally wrote a note fao the manager and left it in the managers office stating that he wanted to speak to the manager as he was concerned about practices during the shift. (This is a new manager who started maybe 2 months ago)

He then finished the shift with no comment from A or B and B even told him and A to go into the resident in the morning. DH lifted the note from the mangers office on his way home as he felt that he should speak to the manager in person when they came on duty. Shift finished at 8am, gave A lift home, dropped DD at school then went in to speak to the manager at just after 9am. Manager said he couldn't speak to him at that time as he was heading to a meeting with some other managers (DH had seen them heading in) and he would talk to him after the meeting. DH mentioned to the manager that it was urgent and regarding safe practice. Told that the manager would ring so came home and went for a sleep. (DH had just done 3 shifts in a row).

DH then got a phone call in the afternoon asking him to go in to speak with manager. DH phoned me in a state after he came out of the building to say that A&B had made the allegations and he was suspended with full pay immediately (he was due to go in for a shift that night). No statement was taken from him that day and he has heard nothing from the home re. making a statement etc. DH contacted union rep and had been told to wait until he heard from the home.

We have waited for a full week with no contact. DH rang the manager this morning to ask if there was any progress or any idea of timescale so that we could get organised re childcare as I am due to go into hospital for surgery and have been told to expect a 6 wk recovery time. Friends are offering us help but we can't respond past the 1st few days post discharge since we don't know if DH will be back at work or not IYSWIM. Manager was very evasive and told DH that "with his track record he would have dismissed him after the 1st time".

DH is and as the manager is referring to an investigation where DH was basically hung out to dry regarding a moving and handling issue where a resident was injured and he was the only member of staff left to reprimand as by the time the investigation happened, the 2 other staff involved had left the job. However, the investigation found him to not be at fault as it was a training issue (no one had been given the correct training) which was to be rectified by all staff being verbally warned and retrained. This was last year and under the previous manager. None of the recommendations were followed and to this day no one has been retrained. Luckily the union rep he has was involved in the previous investigation so has knowledge of what had happened.

DH feels that he is being victimised because he is doing everything by the book instead of covering for other people ie sleeping on duty, unfinished paperwork. There are only 2 male carers and he has noticed that some of the staff treat him differently if he stands his ground. For example, if he goes in at 7:30 pm (handover doesn't start until 7:45) and refuses do do the tea trolley because A) he's not on duty and B) it's the day shifts duty then there's a lot of muttering behind his back. He raised several issues during a staff meeting including day staff leaving early and starting late. One day the whole of day shift excl the nurse in charge left at 7:30 pm when DH and another carer came in. They went to get changed and came down to find that the floor was abandoned and buzzers going unanswered. One other day DH wasn't home until 8:40 am (workplace is 10 mins away) because day shift didn't come in until 8:15 and night shift couldn't leave until there were enough people to safely leave. He says that he noticed a change in staff attitudes after that staff meeting (1st staff meeting for new manager) but it has been so subtle that he felt that saying anything would seem petty. He's such a shy quiet person and hates any sort of confrontation that it puts him at a disadvantage.

Epic post I know but we would appreciate any sort of information about how to go about dealing with this. The union are being helpful but I need to feel like we have some sort of clear picture as to what to expect or what we should do or say. Also posted in employment.

[Fosterangel]

The care industry is very difficult to work in as all allegations (true or false) need to be investigated. Your DH shouted at a resident and will need to account for his actions in the investigation.

Suspension (on full pay) is supposed to be a "neutral" act but never feels that way for the staff member who is usually marched off the premises with a letter telling them to contact no other staff member so as not to hamper the investigation.

Last year's investigation resulted in your DH being reinstated back to work so that is all finished so you can put that behind you both.

All you can really do is keep things real for DH as he will not be able to think straight let alone sit through an investigation meeting if he is frantic with worry. Do keep that Union subscription up to date! That your DH is still in his Union is the best news in your post and he would be wise imho to stay in the union until he leaves this industry. They are the experts in employment law, and will not allow your DH to be unfairly treated or made a scapegoat. If a warning for misconduct is required from this incident they will ensure that it is fitting and fair.

I do hope it all goes well for you and you can get back to some sort of normality very soon.

I have worked in the care industry and my advice would be to find another profession if being investigated is upsetting for DH as it is bound to happen again and again with the current climate (abuse in care homes etc). Poor managers, no suitable equipment and understaffing mean it is a really harsh environment (hence I now foster!). Good luck and let us know how you get on if you feel able.