I have a friend who works in a care home and she could really do with some advice. The home that she works at consists of 4 separate, locked units (dementia care/ late stages of dementia and so on) across two floors. She works nights and there's 4 people per shift every night, one for each unit. There's 12 people per unit to look after, plus helping out across any other units that require help and so on. Besides all the care aspects that they do, the staff are also expected to clean dining areas, chairs, fridges, wash the carpets, dust everywhere, clean skirting boards, do laundry and more general housekeeping things.
Now, they have been informed that the night staff ratio is to reduce from 4 people per night, down to 3. They are still expected to do all the same duties as well as care and everything else. Now, logistically speaking, that can not possibly be done by 3 people, as there will always be one unattended unit full of high risk people. My friend believes that such move will leave many residents at an even higher risk of trips/ falls/ ambulance call outs (they already average at 3 calls outs per week).
So, her/ my question is- can the home actually do that? Is that legal? Is there anything that staff can do/ say for this to be reconsidered? Any advice would be greatly received.