BBC You and Yours (Roseland Court)

Today I did an interview for BBC radio 4 “You and Yours” programme on abuse at Roseland Court care home in cornwall. I did not have time to say everything on the programme so this is my formal response to the case.

Firstly I note this home was rated good by the CQC at the time the abuse took place, no surpise there as most homes we recieve concerns about are also rated good by the CQC.

The key issues of this story is that abuse was recorded by the family on a covert device, please note not cctv. This evidence was taken to the police who refered it to CQC and no action was taken. One of the carers went on to work in another care home so was able to obtain a reference. The family of the victim did not give up and eventually police investigated.

This case is typical of what happens when abuse is highlighted, nothing at all, even when there is clear indisputable evidence. This is why we fight for Ednas law because there is nothing there currently to protect people, the system is so complacent it allows care homes to investigate themselves.

The position of government is that this abuse comes under the heading of “complaints” Our position is that it comes under the heading of Crimes. 

Ednas law would hold to account both the abuser and those who aided and abetted the abuse, including regulators and safeguarding.

The abusive staff involved will have abused more than one resident and will have gone on to abuse others because the system did not stop them once they were identified and that is why currently proposed whistle-blowing laws will never work: because the classic mistake is made again and again, PIDA, WBUK, the European Whistle-blowing law, PCAW now called “Protect” all advocate regulators as the correct people to investigate, only Ednas Law recognises what protection and effectiveness these regulators deliver, none at all.

Eileen Chubb

Copyright 17/5/2019