To refuse to visit client?

[BumpingFuglies]

I'm a home carer and my colleagues and I have been having problems with one particular lady. She bitches about us to each other (there are 3 main carers), bitches about one of her relatives and is generally very nasty. She has physical health problems but is of sound mind.

She has recently refused to allow us to log in by phone (it's a freephone number and a condition of the care contract) and has used that to say that we haven't made visits etc. In such cases, we then ask the client to sign a form, so that there is a record of the visit, otherwise social services won't pay/we don't get paid. She has refused to do this as well.

My manager is well aware of all this but has said we have to keep going in. It's so stressful and the client is always trying to catch me out or complain about something. She has also now started to put a note on the door saying "gone out" when she is actually in. She cannot go out due to her health problems. This means I have to spend the time and petrol getting there only to find the visit refused. I'm on minimum wage and can't afford to do this.

I am dreading the next visit

[scottishmummy]

Document yes,accurate and objective,factual.attempted entry x time,client declined
I'm commenting on language you've used about client,bitches,nasty,has agenda
but maybe that's how you are online as opposed to real life. But tbh it's not your role to speculate on her sound mind,or motives

[BumpingFuglies]

Have done mytwo, but thank you.

[Mytwobeautifulgirls]

document everything in the clients notes. if it's not down in the notes it didn't happen. that is your proof that u tried to attend to give personal care etc but pt has refused document absolutely everything including she won't allow u to log in on the phone.

[BumpingFuglies]

I do feel that my employers are supporting me, and that my manager is doing all she can. I discussed this with her today and explained that if the situation continues or there are further refused visits, I will not go any more. She wasn't happy but understands.

I do feel strongly that the client has an "agenda" and gets a kick out of this sort of thing.

[BumpingFuglies]

Cumfy I will suggest that

[BumpingFuglies]

scottish it has all been reported to the sw and client has refused to talk to her. How am I being derogatory?

[cumfy]

Also you could suggest to the agency that the CQC should be informed of the care arrangements.

[cumfy]

Just a thought.

Are there any other clients very close by, so you could twin the visits, visitting her 2nd ?

[TheChaoGoesMu]

Sounds very dodgy. SSD normally pay on a block contract, so I wonder if the agency are claiming those hours anyway. Regardless of that, this lady has obviously been assessed as needing home care for a reason. Your manager needs to call the social worker and ask for a review. Maybe she still needs help, maybe she doesn't, maybe she has some confusion. Sometimes what you see isn't the whole picture. If your manager isn't pushing for a review, then ring the social worker yourself and tell her that the lady is refusing visits. It is her right to refuse visits, but the reason why needs to be ascertained, to make sure she isn't at risk.

[MoreBeta]

Bottom line is you are not being paid and manager is doing nothing about it.

Put this entire issue in writing in full including an estimate of total pay and costs you are due. Every time you visit this person and getting refused you are just faciliating your manager not doing anything about it.

You are zero hours so it is effectively piece work you are doing. No pay = no work. It is not your problem. You do need to be paid.

[travellingwilbury]

Also , I am sure she will have a good ( to her ) reason for refusing care .

Has a friend / relative / neighbour cone on the scene lately ?
Is something going on medically that is putting her under pressure ?
Has she been watching too much news / reading the daily mail about people with disabilities losing benefits ?

All of these things and many many more could be affecting how she is behaving and her sw needs to know she is not receiving care .
Your line manager needs to escalate this .

[scottishmummy]

Btw,the agency will get paid irrespective of whether you got access as it's a block commissioned purchase
It seems v unfair you attempt ti gain access,undertake work but if client declined you not get paid
I must also say your language about the client is derogatory.you don't need to like her but respect is needed.have you considered the impact if physical pain on mood, other factors you might not know

[travellingwilbury]

I also work in home care and I have known situations like this before . The difference is that I would still be paid .

I love my job but one piece of advice I always try to remember is " don't make any decisions above your pay scale "
I know it doesn't exactly fit this scenario but you are worrying about it and shouldn't be .

Next time you see her name on your rota you should ring your line,manager and tell them you will not be visiting unless you get paid . I will also be surprised if the agency are really not being paid at all for a refused visit .

[scottishmummy]

The issues are client has been assessed for home care package which agency provide
The client is declining you access,you report erratic behaviors.as result strained working relationship
These issues need reported to the sw by agency,and a meeting arranged to discuss client

[BadztMaru]

I'm sure there's a limit to the time that the client can cancel and ss not be charged? In your case, the client have no notice so you should still be paid. You should also be paid mileage, you need to speak to your manager.

[cumfy]

Would you be able to find an agency that does pay for refused visits ?

It sounds an incredibly dodgy policy and yes don't visit client.

[MidniteScribbler]

I would start your own log of any incidents or communications involving this woman and her care. You need to protect your own back. Take time stamped photographs of notes on her door or the front of her house for refused visits and include those with the log. Then send the log to your manager with a formal notice that due to the refused visits, vindictive complaints and loss of your valuable time which could be spent servicing other clients, that you refuse to visit this lady unless you are paid for your time. If the company decides to send another carer, that is their problem, but you need to put your foot down and say no unless they pay you for your time.

[Domjolly]

Cant you take a picture with you in the ladys home the photo will have the time and the date taken

[DoubleLifeIsALifeHalved]

Nice carers are like gold dust and it sounds like you really tried to meet her needs, so you must be quite upset about it.

Agency work contracts are awful for the carers & I think they shouldn't be allowed... But that doesn't really help you now does it!

Can you refuse to go to her? You shouldn't be out of pocket because of it.

[theboob]

so the agency are still being paid by ss regardless of care or not ?

[BumpingFuglies]

I guess I could CerealMom but I don't think it would make much difference. I'm on a zero hours contract and no record = no pay as far as I understand. It's a highly unusual situation to be fair. I've never known this to happen before.

[CerealMom]

Can you contact ACAS/UNISON re. the turning up but not being paid?

[BumpingFuglies]

Where I know you're right about being about of pocket. I want to refuse because of the way the client is behaving towards me and my colleagues though.

I'm sure it will get sorted out soon because if SS stop paying the agency bills, they won't send us in anyway.

Got a meeting tomorrow with manager, I will bring it up then.

[WhereYouLeftIt]

"I have spoken to my manager a number of times. The problem is if I refuse to visit, she will have to find other carers to cover."
And those other carers can also refuse to not be paid.

IMO this is NOT YOUR PROBLEM, it is your manager's problem. They cannot insist that you are out of pocket for phonecalls/petrol because she refuses your visit. You really need to shift this back to your manager to deal with it, and wash your hands of it. It is also in this client's best interests for you to do so, as otherwise the lack of actual visits will continue indefinitely.

[MrsTerryPratchett]

The client will not end up with no care. I'm just hoping that your manager is being open and honest with the SW. When I used to organise care plans at SS, I liked to talk to the workers, not the managers. They were the ones on the ground and had a better grasp of the clients' needs and everyday issues and weren't in it for the money unlike some managers.