How on earth can they get away with this?

[OhHeyOwlFace]

I'll try (and probably fail!) to keep this brief.

I started a new job less than 2 months ago. Just part time. For a very large well known company and in the care sector - however .. I am not a carer. My role is to work alongside them to an extent

Job going well. Great feedback, no issues. Until 3 weeks ago when I raised a concern about a carer. I overheard her verbally abusing a very elderly resident with severe dementia, she was clearly rough handling her too as I heard distinct slapping noises (but I did not witness this) I am 100% sure of what I heard spoken though, as I stood on the other side of an ajar door.

I was shocked and upset and immediately reported it as a safeguarding concern to my manager. She told me to write it down but not to name the carer at all in my letter

I did this and a day later, another manager (who runs the care floor) followed me into a kitchen and asked what had happened. I told her and she said ' that's my best carer, I have never heard anything like this before,' and 'you've never worked with dementia patients before have you?' with a snapped on her face and shaking her head. She made it clear she did not believe me.

two days later, I was called to an investigation. I gave my summary of events to two managers and was told I would not be informed of the outcome of the investigation. (Fair enough I suppose)

The carer in question has never been removed from the care floor as I've seen her on the premises ever since

But I've been moved from my duties ever since reporting. Given jobs such as cleaning out cupboards and moving things from one office to another. Sent home hours early because they had nothing for me to do. Forbidden from going into the care floor where the majority of my work takes place.

I asked why I was being punished but was met with a shrug.

This has gone on for the past few weeks and yesterday I received a letter from my manager inviting me to a probationary meeting on Tuesday. To discuss concerns about my performance. These concerns were listed and they are - without exception - made up, totally fabricated. One of the points - to give an example - says ' you clocked out early on Thursday 26th' ... I DO NOT WORK ON A THURSDAY! Another point said ' you went for a walk.' .... I am flummoxed. I've never 'gone for a walk.'

There were zero concerns about me prior to me reporting a safeguarding concern and I've never experienced this in 35 years of working

So I'm obviously being stitched up here and I understand that. They're removing the problem and that's me. The carer remains as they are very short staffed - who knows?

So I shall resign of course. That's not in doubt but how? How can they do this? The village manager is going to be in on my 'meeting' and therefore she's complicit in what has happened

I have reported this to the CQC - the care equivalent of Ofsted I suppose. My workplace were reported last year and visited - and are now 'requiring improvement' in the areas of safety and leadership so nothing has changed

I know I have no leg to stand on as I've been there for only a matter of weeks but please - can someone tell me if this is normal? What on earth can I do to help me understand why reported abusive behaviour is not being taken seriously?

I'm not in the slightest bit concerned about keeping my job. I do not want to work there

I'm concerned about abuse going on, the managers being complicit in it and then fabricating stuff against me to get me out asap

In what world is this acceptable?

We found jobsite reviews quite revealing when we dealt with a care abuse issue. The issues were all there, wish we had seen it earlier.
Similar to you, the reason people leave - toxic cover-up culture. And weirdly, the “good shifts” are given as rewards to people who keep mouth shut. Also on Glassdoor- Lot of staff were related or friends so worked shifts together, I guess can get away with whatever with you bestie. They get rid of staff by giving bad shifts …

If an elderly, vulnerable person is being physically assaulted and verbally abused then as far as I am concerned, that is very much a police matter.

When I reported abuse the police interviewed the elderly lady.

They do listen.

Nobody can interview the elderly lady. She has advanced dementia. She does not know her own husband,to put this into context.

@kookoocachoo that is really interesting to know

You say you're not concerned about your job and just about the residents but the wider picture is that the employer shouldn't be able to have a culture of secrecy that enables this.
I'm not suggesting you need to embark on a big legal fight but if you simply have a representative from ACAS or another employment law agency at the meeting it might start to bring about the change that is clearly needed. The manager will know they can't bully away concerns.

You have done the right thing, thank you for not looking the other way like the other carers do and like the management does. You could maybe raise the issue with your MP or the MP of the constitutency in which the care home is. Hopefully if the reports happen enough they will get investigated and forced to change or close down.

Good for you op. What is it they say? The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. Very apt in this scenario,

reporting on the speak up help line, notifying the authorities, ensures this will be dealt with . Because there is a secondary consideration. Which is other staff will see what they have done to you and be too,scared for their jobs to speak out if they see similar . It silences everyone. They are setting an example. Don’t speak up or we will fire you.

‘so make it known, make it known far and wide before you walk out the door. And look them in the eye and make them feel as shameful as they should when you do.

Thank you for reporting.

ACAS and employment tribunals aren't just about keeping your job - and I fully understand why you wouldn't want to! They are also about ensuring your dismissal rights - paid notice, fair references etc. So please don't rule them out just yet. It's worth at least a conversation with ACAS.

And definitely contact Protect https://protect-advice.org.uk/ It's a charity to support whistleblowers.

Try to record the carers behaviour

It's a shame you feel you have to quit because the care sector needs people like you.

Well done for reporting.

You can ask for the meeting to be recorded and minuted, I wouldn't do it in secret, that will backfire on you and you cannot record the carers behaviour in front of vulnerable residents without their consent.

The carer isn’t going to do it in front of her or even near her again.

I can't record the carer. I was the one removed from my proper job as soon as I reported her and now they're about to sack me, (not that I'm allowing that!) for made up reasons. Please read the thread before commenting @Cantbelievethatimafoolagain

@EliflurtleAndTheInfiniteMadness haven't got it in me to look the other way! I'm so shocked there are people out there who do

And I saw some really really good carers there. I am not a carer (my role just happened to work alongside them) but I take my hat off to them as it's a tough job.

Please attend with your police officer daughter, you are allowed to have someone with you, although they can't speak for you.

Also a probationary meeting should be held at a mutually convenient time and date so I'd write back and thank them for the invitation, confirm you will attend a meeting but as it's short notice and not a mutually convenient time and date please can they offer an alternative.

Ask them for a copy of the statement you wrote, a copy of your clocking in and out record, contract, job description, and all the policies you've requested, including whistleblowing. Explain these are required by you before any meeting takes place.

Keep everything in writing. Attend, look them in the eye and stand up for what you know is right.

@oopsupsideyourheadisayoopsupsideypurhead that's really useful thank you

I could take my daughter who's happy to come. I could take my husband who's also in the police in a role where he manages people. I could take my best friend who is a retail store manager 30 years + - all of the above have relevant skills that can help - but I bet they refuse to allow it. Oh and all the above are astounded at what's gone on.

I want to be able to attend alone if need her but bloody hell, this is a bit nerve wracking tbh. I've never been stitched up before!

My bet is that they refuse to move the meeting tomorrow and insist on it going ahead in my absence but who knows?

Regardless, I would need to resign before they are able to 'let me go' although tbh that's not the worst thing in the world either / I do not need a reference from them or anything like that

Please just get some legal advice before you decide to go/not go/resign/get sacked. I know you don't want to work there now, so it's not about the fight for the job. It's about what's right so they don't stitch you up or ambush you. They don't seem to have a lot of regard for employment law, or following any rules for that matter, let alone 'caring'. I am so angry on your behalf and I want you to be prepared before walking in to that meeting. That's why I said in my earlier reply about everything being in writing. Paper trails are important and they won't like having a written record held somewhere of their shitty (illegal) behaviour. Who knows, they might even be trying to hide it from their bosses and sweep things under the carpet. Make sure they know they've got a fight on their hands (even if you don't really want to fight for your job). Let them think twice about trying to make the situation (and you) go away.

All the best x

If you do go to the meeting ask for a copy of the rota and the clocking off early evidence on the day you weren't even there. It sounds shite, have you managed to report it yet, once that's done hopefully it will be out of your hands. They always fuck up over something, I had an accident at work , in their so called evidence they apparently immediately attended and had a meeting with the manager except she was out of the country at the time and I was not on duty that day. It's all blah blah nonsense if they want to get rid of someone.

@OhHeyOwlFace How did your meeting go in the end?

This sadly happens all too often in care settings. When I was a new Support Worker I reported a Waking Night for yelling at a service user for wetting himself. I was told this staff member simply had a different "communication style", and was subsequently bullied by the Waking Nights team, and scapegoated and gaslit about all kinds of BS by management for the remainder of my time there.
Please inform Adult Social Care safeguarding if you've not done so already. Also are you in a union, could you bring a representative in with you to the meeting? Good on you for reporting, doing the right thing is not always the easiest but it shows there are still a lot of good eggs in the social care field!

@EmberAsh thanks for checking in.

Well, it didn't go ahead. I'd requested it to be held on a day I was in work and not on the day of their choosing which would have been yesterday. I ensured this request was put in writing to them and sent via signed for delivery. It was delivered.

And do you know what they did? Are you ready for this?!!

They brought the meeting forward to Monday afternoon! Decided to hold it in my absence instead. Advised me of this after the meeting had been held and - wouldn't you just know it - I'd unfortunately not passed my probation period for the following reasons ...

Clocking out early once (on a date I was not at work)

Not engaging with the care floor manager properly when asked about the incident - she accosted me in a kitchen btw!

An inability to recognise different styles of communication (this one is killing me! So, me listening to a carer hiss at a resident that she is totally stupid / disgusting / ugly / thick as shit is actually normal! Perfectly acceptable! Just different styles in communicating!

I Immediately resigned. They refused to let me into the premises in case I ' upset any of their vulnerable residents' and that was that

Amazing eh?

Unbelievable!

I hope that you will consider writing a letter quoting and disputing all of their ridiculous claims and make sure a copy is forwarded all the way up to the top.

Why am I not surprised that in this day and age they found an excuse for the behaviour - couldn't have foresaw communication differences being it though! Wonder if the person who you reported has a protected characteristic and the bosses don't want to rock the boat? 🤔

@Helen1625 it's not something I'd believe for a moment had it not happened to me. I literally did nothing wrong and everything right but in the world of the care home, I got it wrong. And it genuinely terrifies me because if this is happening in a literal 5 star village, what the hell is happening in other places not quite so shiny?

I've written a letter to the most top manager I could find the name for. I've reported to adult services at the council. I've reported to the CQC. Not sure there's anywhere left to go?

You're well put of it but those poor residents are still there. You've reported it to everyone except the media. Scumbags.