I was attacked today at work.

[Worried007]

I started working for a new company on Tuesday officially but they have been making me do mandatory, unpaid training for around the last two weeks, which they are charging me for but refuse to give me the certificates for.

I went into the clients house for the first time on Wednesday and did a shadow shift, I had been told that he was non-violent and when he was violent he would damage property or himself (punch himself in the head) rather than attack anyone else.

I then found out that on Monday he had attacked two female carers, one of which was not happy to return to the service.

On Saturday I did my first shift, he receives 2:1 care during the day and 1:1 care from 7pm onwards.

On Saturday he attacked me twice, first he punched me in the side of the head and then he punched my throat as we got out of the car.

I phoned the On Call and informed them that he was aggressive, he then burst into the room where I was hiding and came over to me, fortunately he just gave me a hug but as my colleague pointed out, he was unable to prevent the man from coming into the room because there is a strict 'no restraining' policy in place in the service.

We asked for an additional member of staff to come the following day, because he had fixated on me through the evening even after PRN medications and was obviously unhappy.

I arrived at 9am on Sunday morning and the client was obviously distressed, about 10 minutes after he had eaten breakfast, he launched himself at me and began pulling my hair out and thumping me. Fortunately my colleague ignored the 'do not restrain' order and pulled him off me, I hid in a bathroom for five minutes and then went to call the On Call again.

As I came out of the bathroom, the client grabbed me by the throat and pinned me up against the wall, I have bruising and scratch marks across my neck and chest where he grabbed me. My colleague pulled him off me again and told me to get in the bedroom and hold the door shut while the client kicked the door trying to get in. I phoned the On Call and they said that they would 'try' and send someone else out, I said that is good because I was leaving, they then told me that if I left it would be gross misconduct and I would be sacked. Given that a girl is already suing them for negligence I thought they had quite a nerve telling a bleeding member of staff that they could not leave a service, despite the client clearly continuing to attack them repeatedly.

I left and have spoken to the police who recorded my injuries. I am very shaken up and worried about tomorrow. Could do with any sort of legal advice and some hand holding if possible.

[GimmeDaBoobehz]

Sounds similar to the company my Mum works for - pm me the name if want to know if it is the same.

Luckily Mum wasn't attacked but was fell on and has received a what looks like to be a permanent back injury. He should've had 2 people go in.

Mum has gone to double ups and told to do it alone using hoists etc. it's truly disgusting.

I hope you succeed with your claim as well as hoping my Mums goes well but they are slippery.

If want more details pm me.

Good luck.

[Tiredemma]

In some circumstance I feel this is ideal and increases a persons quality of life however in the case of this client and many others I have come across it his highly dangerous and a disaster waiting to happen

^^this.

I work in secure mental health care so I am always erring on the extreme side of risk and caution. Its wrong- he sounds like a catastrophic incident waiting to happen.

[Percephone]

Unfortunately care agencies don't want to ask for clients like this to be sent to residential care as they will lose the contract and therefore lose money. I have seen this time and time again in my line of work. They just expect the carers to get on with it. I second the advice to report to CQC. This man sounds dangerous and I wouldn't be visiting him.

[Worried007]

On advice I have an email to the directors waiting to send, it needs to be checked by mother first.

I am also contacting the HSE as well as the CQC, ACAS and Safeguarding team tomorrow morning. Lots of phone calls tomorrow morning!

[Funnyfoot]

I would hold off on the e-mail to the directors until you have contacted CQC & safeguarding tbh OP.

You already informed the on call manager so by rights you have informed the company of the issue yet they failed to act appropriately. Should you send that e-mail before you contact CQC and they decide to do an inspection the company can and probably will falsify documentation and collaborate a new outcome. Probably holding you responsible.

[Worried007]

The email is about their treatment of me though, the loss of income, certificates that I have had to pay for and so on.

I haven't informed the directors that I have contacted anyone but the police

[Funnyfoot]

I appreciate you do need to send that e-mail however in the interest of changing the way they deliver care your e-mail won't do jot. Only CQC or safeguarding can do that and as I said if you send that e-mail first you are giving them time to clean up their act in the short term for a CQC inspection.

CQC will advise you of the best course of action to protect you. As I said you will come under the whistleblowing policy. So any future claim you make against the company will be backed up by that.

It is ultimately your decision OP and I do not blame you. It is an awful thing to happen to you and could of been avoided had your company done the job they are paid to do.

[Worried007]

Okay Funny I will wait until I have spoken to the CQC about things. I just really need those certificates so that I can carry on working. That is really a big priority to me as well as the client getting better care.

[Worried007]

Funny, does it really annoy you when people say 'I'm not being Funny' I hate it when people say that and you have the most beautiful come-back to it!

[Funnyfoot]

So far it hasn't happened. Yet!

They have no reason to keep the certificates they are of no use to them. You can say to CQC that you fear retribution from the company and that they will withhold the certificates you have completed which in turn will stop you seeking further employment.

Most care companies I have worked for provide the training free and the certs go with you when you leave. Not a nice place Worried

[Worried007]

Slept awfully last night, kept thinking someone was attacking me and my husband had to pin me to the bed a few times because I was lashing out.

[Funnyfoot]

morning worried. Sorry you had a bad night.
Are you working today?

[Worried007]

no not due to be working until wednesday

I wont be going back to that setting though.

[Worried007]

They are sending me my certificates and not charging me for them.

They have asked me to go to another project but only for weekend work around 35 miles from my home, so it isn't ideal and I will need to look for further work, but at least I can keep working until I find some.

[Funnyfoot]

That's good to hear worried.

Did you contact CQC or are you waiting until you have your certificates?

[Worried007]

Oh no I contacted the CQC and the Adult Safeguarding team first thing this morning. I wouldn't have waited to do that, something needs to change in that setting and fast, there will be a woman working alone there tonight, I hope that can be stopped.

[Funnyfoot]

It is a terrible position this company has put you in worried but t least you have followed your duty of care and hopefully the client and others like him will be supported as they should be because of your actions.

I hope you find a better company to work for and given your selfless attitude this is the ideal job for you. Vulnerable people need those like you to support them

[Worried007]

I just spoke to the local inspector. She spoke with me for about 12 minutes and agreed there were serious issues afoot, I told her I would be very interested to know if there was a RIDDOR done yesterday and if there was one done when the young lady was attacked previously. Because I cannot understand how the risk assessments and procedures in place reflect this mans threat to staff and himself.

She is phoning them right now! So we will have to wait for the fall out I suppose, she asked if I wished to stay anonymous and I said absolutely not, it wouldn't make a difference anyway and I believe I am more protected if I am not anonymous.

I told her that the most important thing is that the young lady who is due to lone work with this man tonight (who he attacked on monday) is protected and that he is protected and cared for, neither of which I think are happening right now.

The company have sent me one email today asking me if I am 100% which I replied 'no I have damage to my neck and chest' they have not returned my email.

They are sending my certificates to me though and will waive the fees, which is a good result.

[Funnyfoot]

Well done worried you have tried to protect everyone.

Honestly there are so many care companies out there that are run correctly and do care for their staff as well as clients. I hope you find something soon.

[edamsavestheday]

Glad inspector was on the ball, and that you are at least getting your certificates. They sound like a shower of shit, tbh, putting both clients and employees in danger.

Did you ask ACAS about the 'mandatory unpaid training' you are being charged for? I doubt that that is legal under employment law...

[Worried007]

I might phone acas in the morning but i doubt it is illegal as another company i am applying to have the same system.

[Worried007]

update

I have spoken to the CQC at length about the incident and about the ones preceding them and she will already have contacted the company in question. She took it all very seriously.

I have also found alternative work! They are able to accept my certificates so the whole thing might not have been the big waste of time that I feared it would be. They are still being a bit shaky about when they are going to send the certificates, but I need them tomorrow so I've told them I will go to the office to pick them up and given them the option of me going in the morning or afternoon to collect them.

That way I can hopefully start work in the next week or so.

[Flipdefloo]

Yes it did take real guts. And I hope on some level the experience stands OP in good stead to be promoted in time, since they have proved able to challenge bad practice - the profession needs more people like OP.