Scare mongering over flying visits

http://www.channel4.com/news/care-visit-15-minutes-nhs-elderly-disabled

 

Perhaps the Care Industry does need looking at but articles like the one above give us all a bad name. The suggestion that 15 minute flying visits are forcing people to choose between a toilet break or a drink is farcical and nothing more than scare mongering.

My fifteen minute call would go something like this...

'Good morning Ethel. Do you need to go to the toilet?'
'Yes please'
'Ok let me just put the kettle on and I will help you.

Lets face it if they have waited for you to arrive to use the toilet, another minute is not going to make any difference (there are obvious exceptions). I then help Ethel to the toilet or onto a bed pan.
 I am not going to stand over the poor woman whilst she does her business so guess what; I go and make a cup of tea whilst I wait for her to finish. So even if it takes the lady fifteen minutes to go to the toilet she will still have a cup of tea by her side before I leave.


Yes there are calls where fifteen minutes is not enough but if a Carer feels that there is not enough time to do a call they can ask for a review from social services.