to put hidden camera in DM's room in care home

[GirlsBlouse17]

Am asking for a friend actually.

Her mum is in a care home and a care worker apparently shouted at her mum for ringing the bell during the night. Her mum was frightened and confused.

Would it be unreasonable for my friend to put a hidden camera in her mum's room to keep an eye on what happens there? Are there any legal implications of doing this?

have a read of this from the CQC - CQC Advice
I really would speak to the home manager and raise your concern so that it has been recorded. I hope that it was a one off and her Mum settles again

Not at all. I hope when I’m old someone does thison my behalf.

Not at all unreasonable.

My mum had a carer in her home and we became suspicious about missing money. We installed cameras and caught her in the act of stealing. Unfortunately because we only caught her once on camera she got off with it. If we had had more than one offence the police could have done more, but who wants to see their DM being shouted at and stolen from, more than once?
However, she did loose her job.

Thank you Longgame . I have emailed the document to my friend. That's perfect!

She did complain to the home about the carer but they said there was nothing logged in their logbook about the bell being rung

Glad this is not seen as unreasonable so far, thank you!

Sorry about your mum ArntNise. That is terrible!

Not at all unreasonable. Anybody who can mistreat people in their care is vile and deserves an absolute shitstorm.

Do it. I was a support worker in a home for adults with learning disabilities, speaking from experience - cameras save lives. At the very least they're a deterrent. Prepare yourself for what you'll see on there though, even if it's a lovely member of staff providing excellent care it's still hard to watch a loved one in a support setting.

As somebody who works in the care profession, I say do it! It will give the family peace of mind.
Anything that weeds out the bad carers that give us good ones a bad name is a good thing. It annoys me when other carers moan about hidden cameras, if you’re doing nothing wrong, you have nothing to worry about.
I hope the care Home manager takes your friends concerns seriously. No elderly person should be afraid to ring their call bell, whatever the time of day or night.
I hope your friends mum settles again soon, what an awful experience for her.

I'm a bit uncomfortable about the breach of her mum's privacy though. She may be elderly and in a home but you're putting a surveillance camera in her bedroom without permission

Perfectly reasonable. A 'carer' stole from my grandmother when she was in a home with dementia. He was eventually caught and charged and will never work in that field again- but if we had had a camera it would have been easier and quicker to prove.
My other grandmother is also in a home now and various things like chocolates and toiletries 'go missing' from time to time. If it weren't a total invasion of her care needs and privacy I'd be very happy to put in a camera.

I work in hospitals and I am amazed how many staff seem to respond to bells with an intolerant sounding shout. I actually don't think they mean it the way it sounds, it is a 'what now trouble' kind of response that could be considered cheerful or friendly in the right circumstances. But to a virtual stranger, ill and frail, it rarely comes across well imo. I hope that you see an unfortunate manner, not abuse.

There are rogue health care workers and covert filming is the way forward. These people need exposing and sacking.

Maybe better to install them overtly rather than covertly. If everyone knows about them it will almost certainly eradicate any poor behaviour. That's a win.

I'm a bit uncomfortable about the breach of her mum's privacy though. She may be elderly and in a home but you're putting a surveillance camera in her bedroom without permission

I agree with this. Her mother still has a right to privacy. Will she tell her mum that it's there, and is her mum capable of understanding?

She needs to get consent from her mum if she has capacity. She also needs to check the contract as it could breach it meaning she would have to find alternative accommodation. I think the first step should be to raise it with management though.

Shouting at her for that is also abuse. Management need to know of allegations of abuse so they can raise it with safeguarding and put a policy in place such as staff only to provide care in twos to protect both them and her.

Her DM's need for safety overrides her need for privacy.

I'd put them up.

She needs to tell her Mum it’s there.
As others have said she does need to be aware that what she will see won’t be the perfect care we all hope our parents will get. But over worked and under paid staff, some young and silly, some impatient etc. As long as she’s prepared to see people have an off day and protect their privacy then I’m all for catching abuse though she might want to consider installing a camera that isn’t hidden to prevent abuse rather than focus on catching. Her mums welfare is priority, albeit possibly shifting the problem elsewhere.

I’d definitely put them there. If my mum had the capacity to understand they’re there and keep it to herself, I’d tell her, if not I wouldn’t. Her need for safety & decent care far outweighs her need for privacy. Not that she’s ever been fussed about her privacy anyway.

I would, my lovely great aunt was in a care home. She was like the grandmother I never had so we were very close. I turned up to visit her one day. Got to her room and could hear the two carers shouting at her. They were shouting littlewoo’s aunt, how disgusting are you, what type of woman shits themselves and sits in it. Look at the mess you’ve made, you’re disgusting.
It was terrible to hear, I was shaking with fury.
Opened the door and they had my aunt stripped naked holding onto her zimmer whilst they cleaned her, the look on my aunts face was heartbreaking.
The two members of staff got sacked after that but my aunt had been going rapidly downhill before that and was extremely nervous. I feel awful I didn’t suspect anything before.

If they have concerns I would discuss them with the manager, if a secret camera reveals poor practice and abuse that is a good thing but you do have to think about privacy and dignity. The c.q.c. leaflet does seem very informative. Good luck to your friend, hope they sort it out.

Thank you everyone for your comments. My friend said she would discuss with her mum if she decides it needs doing. She said she thinks an audio recording might be better than visual recording though.

Overt recording may be a better way of doing this rather than covert recording. What a good idea

littlewoo oh God that’s heartbreaking. My nan was in a home with dementia while I was on the other side of the world, and sometimes she’d say things about her carers. The guilt I’ve felt wondering if it was true or her dementia talking. Elderly people deserve dignity and respect, and for your Aunts carers to take that away from her is not acceptable