HC-One Confirms Plans Prior To BBC Documentary

Care home provider HC-One, one of the largest in the UK, has confirmed it is consulting on whether to push forward with the proposed installation of CCTV equipment at the sites it operates.

The company’s chair Dr Chai Patel revealed discussions were underway on the matter ahead of a BBC Panorama broadcast which is set to cover the issue of standards in elderly care and use footage secretly filmed at one of the firm’s homes in 2012.

It is expected that the consultation will see staff, residents and their families asked whether they would want cameras installed in communal areas and the option of equipment also being added to specific rooms.

If the plans are agreed, HC-One would be the first provider of this kind to push forward with this scheme.

Dr Chai Patel said: “Unannounced inspections by the CQC, local authorities, and our own service quality teams are important, but alone they do not always uncover the actions of a small number of individuals.”

Expert Opinion

A number of shocking revelations regarding abuse and neglect at care homes have come to light in recent years and such problems have generated much debate regarding standards of care and how they can be improved. <br/> <br/>"While patient safety must always be the top priority, a step of this nature inevitably raises issues regarding privacy and we have been involved in a number of cases related to such debates. Those individuals lacking capacity to decide about whether to allow CCTV monitoring will need this decision being made in their best interests. It will be important to ensure that any move to install CCTV is a necessary safeguard and proportionate to the concerns. It would also be important to ensure recordings are only viewed by authorised individuals and properly and safely destroyed. <br/> <br/>"The law in this respect requires a delicate balance of rights and this will be an important issue for care home providers such as HC-One to consider if they are pushing forward with these plans." Yogi Amin - Partner