August 24, 2010
Care Workers Abused by Aggressive Patients
Care homes are safe havens for the sick and elderly who have nowhere to go. Chronic ailments and depression are quite common among elderly patients who need constant supervision and sensitive care. However, care workers who attend to the daily needs of elderly patients have a tough job.
With many patients and personalised treatment, it is challenging to deal with the stress of everyday routine. In an unfortunate turn of events, a care worker came under attack by a patient at a reputed care home. The incident took place in September 2005 at the Swan House care home.
Ms. Hunt, the victim of the incident was employed at the care home for over three years. She was in-charge of an elderly patient named Jack Tooby. He was being cared for in the dementia unit.
The 56 year old Jack Tooby attacked Ms. Hunt who took care of him on a daily basis. While Tooby punched and injured Ms. Hunt, she barely managed to alert the emergency alarm. In the process, she suffered serious injuries to her head, neck and shoulders. The injuries rendered her unable to lift any weight and she became incapable of continuing as a care worker.
David Thompson, from Thompsons Solicitors who filed a compensation claim on behalf of Ms. Hunt was clear that the blame lay with Swan House care home. He expressed that though they were clearly aware of the mental status of the patient and his aggressive tendencies, they chose to ignore it.
They should not have exposed Ms. Hunt who had no training whatsoever in dealing with violent patients. It was the care home’s responsibility to equip its care workers with the required knowledge and training while caring for patients with special needs. He criticised the care home for not protecting its employees and take responsibility for it. The suit was settled out of court with the care home paying £12,500 in compensation to Ms. Hunt.
Steve Brazier, Head of Health for UNISON’s South Eastern Region expressed concern that threats and risks were becoming increasingly common in care facilities but fail to come to light. He urged for more measures of security and protection of care workers with stringent protocols. Protecting the health and safety of employees is an essential part of risk management.
The safety consultants from Workplace Law can assist managers and supervisors in all they need to know to help handle health and safety in their teams to learn about the importance of promoting awareness and attitude, and communication about safety to improve the health and safety culture within an organisation.
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