Is Her Career Finished
Discussion
My Partner is a Registered Nurse and Midwife. She left frontline nursing and midwifery for a career in healthcare management as shiftwork and a young family are pretty much mutually exclusive. She worked, initially, in the public sector but then took a position with a private contractor specialising in home visits to the very elderly and infirm. In her position she was tasked to ensure compliance with her employer's care requirements as set within contracts with their clients.
The company has a hard nosed, very commercially driven philosophy. The carers are paid minimum wage less travel time (basically you get 6 hours' wages for eight hours' work, two hours deducted as it is deemed carers are not working but travelling between visits). They also have pay deducted for uniforms and training and receive a mere 20p per mile as full expenses for running their own car. In return for these rewards staff are expected to wake, get out of bed, shower, breakfast and medicate a pensioner in about 25 minutes. It can't be done.
My partner, on carrying out various performance audits, ruled that the contractually obligated levels of care could not be delivered within the timescales set by the management. Her crime was she said it "out loud". She had gone out to deliver a day's care assisting one of her best girls to see what best practice could be replicated by less well performing staff. What she found was care was delivered with a mass of cut corners and at a level way below clients' specification. She then said to this girl that she does far too many visits in a day. This statement went through the company care-staff like wild fire (in't Facebook brilliant). A senior manager had finally said what they had all known for years.
When questioned about her statement by powerfully built, BMW driving director types she replied "I'm not here to make the company money, I'm here to deliver care". She was sent home on the spot.
Moving on. She was suspended on full pay, subject to an investigation and let go as she had not been with the company for a year. She signed a compromise agreement promising not to whistleblow in return for the company telling DHSS she had been let go rather than had been sacked or had left allowing her to claim, jonseaker's, housing and child benefit. Her big problem is that inspite of being ensured that she would receive a good reference she has gone from a very employable person to someone no one seems to be prepared to touch with a bargepole. Question is inspite of her reference are her old bosses having a "quiet word" with her future employers and, if so, where does she go from here?
The company has a hard nosed, very commercially driven philosophy. The carers are paid minimum wage less travel time (basically you get 6 hours' wages for eight hours' work, two hours deducted as it is deemed carers are not working but travelling between visits). They also have pay deducted for uniforms and training and receive a mere 20p per mile as full expenses for running their own car. In return for these rewards staff are expected to wake, get out of bed, shower, breakfast and medicate a pensioner in about 25 minutes. It can't be done.
My partner, on carrying out various performance audits, ruled that the contractually obligated levels of care could not be delivered within the timescales set by the management. Her crime was she said it "out loud". She had gone out to deliver a day's care assisting one of her best girls to see what best practice could be replicated by less well performing staff. What she found was care was delivered with a mass of cut corners and at a level way below clients' specification. She then said to this girl that she does far too many visits in a day. This statement went through the company care-staff like wild fire (in't Facebook brilliant). A senior manager had finally said what they had all known for years.
When questioned about her statement by powerfully built, BMW driving director types she replied "I'm not here to make the company money, I'm here to deliver care". She was sent home on the spot.
Moving on. She was suspended on full pay, subject to an investigation and let go as she had not been with the company for a year. She signed a compromise agreement promising not to whistleblow in return for the company telling DHSS she had been let go rather than had been sacked or had left allowing her to claim, jonseaker's, housing and child benefit. Her big problem is that inspite of being ensured that she would receive a good reference she has gone from a very employable person to someone no one seems to be prepared to touch with a bargepole. Question is inspite of her reference are her old bosses having a "quiet word" with her future employers and, if so, where does she go from here?
Edited by Tannedbaldhead on Sunday 11th May 12:08
Tannedbaldhead said:
The company has a hard nosed, very commercially driven philosophy.
It's a business, what would you expect?Tannedbaldhead said:
When questioned about her statement by powerfully built, BMW driving director types she replied "I'm mot here to make the company money, I'm here to deliver care". She was sent home on the spot.
The directors will be (and were) the judge of that.The morality of care for profit will run to pages but it seems she was naive as to the primary motives of a business. Understandably perhaps coming from a presumably NHS background but nevertheless she is/was there to make/save money for the company.
Question is does she now accept the company standpoint? If not then maybe the NHS is the best place to look for work.
Tannedbaldhead said:
Question is inspite of her reference are her old bosses having a "quiet word" with her future employers.....
It's hard to imagine how can anyone could answer that.How old are the kids now - maybe she could go back to midwifery (isn't there a shortage?) and keep her head down for a while?
I have been in a similar situation, I decided to keep quiet as things would remain the same whether I said anything or not. Weak management always cut down those who speak up against them.
It is not worth trying to change things as the only change made will be youself being ostracised.
Sad I know but you cannot provide for your family without a job.
It is not worth trying to change things as the only change made will be youself being ostracised.
Sad I know but you cannot provide for your family without a job.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Of course, I'm making the assumption the company meets whatever care standards they are contracted to. Those standards may or may not seem acceptable to most, but they'll have a framework to work within. Debating the larger morality issue isn't going to help the OP, only derail the thread.
technodup said:
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Of course, I'm making the assumption the company meets whatever care standards they are contracted to. Those standards may or may not seem acceptable to most, but they'll have a framework to work within. Debating the larger morality issue isn't going to help the OP, only derail the thread.
Surely the solution is for her to start her own agency.
I expect she has the experience of delivery to have the credibility to pitch for the care provision contracts from the local authority.
Then she can pay her workers better wages and allow them more time to do the care as she will not have the same level of profit motive.
I was looking into this the other day - quite a big move towards more home based care. Lower barrier to entry than a physical care home as you don't need capital for building/buying the property.
Could build up a decent business and in 5 -10 years sell it for 6x EBITDA or whatever and retire.
Job done and she doesn't have to worry about references or dodgy employers.
I expect she has the experience of delivery to have the credibility to pitch for the care provision contracts from the local authority.
Then she can pay her workers better wages and allow them more time to do the care as she will not have the same level of profit motive.
I was looking into this the other day - quite a big move towards more home based care. Lower barrier to entry than a physical care home as you don't need capital for building/buying the property.
Could build up a decent business and in 5 -10 years sell it for 6x EBITDA or whatever and retire.
Job done and she doesn't have to worry about references or dodgy employers.
technodup said:
Tannedbaldhead said:
The company has a hard nosed, very commercially driven philosophy.
It's a business, what would you expect?Tannedbaldhead said:
When questioned about her statement by powerfully built, BMW driving director types she replied "I'm mot here to make the company money, I'm here to deliver care". She was sent home on the spot.
The directors will be (and were) the judge of that.The morality of care for profit will run to pages but it seems she was naive as to the primary motives of a business. Understandably perhaps coming from a presumably NHS background but nevertheless she is/was there to make/save money for the company.
Question is does she now accept the company standpoint? If not then maybe the NHS is the best place to look for work.
The problem, the bad employees were the commercial managers who underpriced a contract decided to cut a mass of corners to keep said contracts profitable then got rid of their quality control manager when she flagged up the job wasn't being done properly. She wasn't even sacked. They just told her she wasn't suited to the position and as she had not two years employment just let her go.
Horribly familiar scenario.
Partner has had a similar career path, it was frightening what was going on some 20 yrs ago let alone what they have to put up with today [## or rather the type of patients that are left for the agencies ie that the council won't touch] most of the work allocated to the agencies are care in the community types, my partner has been abused and assaulted by those deemed incapable of caring for themselves due to mental health issues [see ##].
She now no longer works in the care sector.
The very best of luck to you both.
Partner has had a similar career path, it was frightening what was going on some 20 yrs ago let alone what they have to put up with today [## or rather the type of patients that are left for the agencies ie that the council won't touch] most of the work allocated to the agencies are care in the community types, my partner has been abused and assaulted by those deemed incapable of caring for themselves due to mental health issues [see ##].
She now no longer works in the care sector.
The very best of luck to you both.
Edited by Mojocvh on Tuesday 13th May 00:48
kev b said:
I have been in a similar situation, I decided to keep quiet as things would remain the same whether I said anything or not. Weak management always cut down those who speak up against them.
It is not worth trying to change things as the only change made will be yourself being ostracised.
Sad I know but you cannot provide for your family without a job.
At what point does a person's moral standpoint cause them to finally speak up or speak out?It is not worth trying to change things as the only change made will be yourself being ostracised.
Sad I know but you cannot provide for your family without a job.
Is one's own financial well being always going to prevent a person from highlighting to management practices they feel are wrong?
Has ethics or care no place in commerce or is the bottom line the ONLY factor that must be considered?
These are issues which have echoed down through the years. Would Jimmy Savile have continued in his wrong doing if people had spoken up years ago?
Would Stafford NHS Trust still be neglecting elderly patients in their care if some people HADN'T spoken up (and paid the price financially).
Does concern for one's own circumstances override doing "the right thing"?
technodup said:
he directors will be (and were) the judge of that.
The morality of care for profit will run to pages but it seems she was naive as to the primary motives of a business. Understandably perhaps coming from a presumably NHS background but nevertheless she is/was there to make/save money for the company.
Question is does she now accept the company standpoint? If not then maybe the NHS is the best place to look for work.
or perhaps these businesses should come under far stricter control and checks....The morality of care for profit will run to pages but it seems she was naive as to the primary motives of a business. Understandably perhaps coming from a presumably NHS background but nevertheless she is/was there to make/save money for the company.
Question is does she now accept the company standpoint? If not then maybe the NHS is the best place to look for work.
not the usual call ahead type of checks that are usually done where they have days of notice that an inspecton is going to take place..
Tannedbaldhead said:
She signed a compromise agreement promising not to whistleblow in return for the company telling DHSS she had been let go rather than had been sacked or had left allowing her to claim, jonseaker's, housing and child benefit.
Not a lawyer by any means, but this would seem to be dubious at best. Unless proper disciplinary process was followed, she hasn't been sacked, and didn't willingly leave of her own accord. I can't help thinking it sits somewhere between unlawful contract (what's the value from her perspective?) and blackmail.HRL said:
What's the worse that could happen if she went to the national press?
They already knowhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21430956
http://blogs.channel4.com/victoria-macdonald-on-he...
http://www.theguardian.com/social-care-network/201...
And if you google the subject you'll find much much more.
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