11 May 2007
More than a quarter of home care agencies still do not meet the national minimum standards on stewardship of clients' funds, the Commission for Social Care Inspection has found.
The watchdog's report, In safe keeping, published on May 8, found that 88% of care homes met the national standard on proper handling of residents' money, compared with 74% of home care agencies.
The CSCI warns that mishandling or misusing care recipients' money is at best a form of abuse and at worst a criminal offence. It cites examples ranging from theft to care workers topping up their own loyalty cards when shopping for clients.
CSCI chief inspector Paul Snell said: 'It is important for all care services to have proper systems in place when dealing with people's money… Some people do need help to manage their money, but this support should not override their right to access their money and decide how to spend it.'
The report was not able to say how many breaches of the national standards were due to theft and how many for less serious misdemeanours, but it did highlight that previous research had found the majority of criminal allegations were against sons and daughters, not care workers. It also pointed out that people had a right to make what others might see as 'eccentric or unwise decisions' about their own money.
Snell added: 'It is quite tempting for care workers, when someone is dependent on their help, and perhaps cannot communicate very well, to drift into making decisions on their behalf. But they must always check that they are spending the money according to the wishes of the person to whom that money belongs.'
PFmay2007
