WHAT’S NEW?
NEW RESEARCH SHOWS SUPPORT FOR CAMERAS IN CARE HOMES
Three quarters of people would be more likely to choose a care home for a family member if independently monitored surveillance cameras were in place, according to new research.
The Panelbase survey, commissioned by Care Protect, questioned 1,010 people in September 2017 and found that 75% of those questioned were in favour of this form of monitoring to safeguard residents.
Philip Scott, Founder of Care Protect, said: “At a time when many care providers are suffering significant financial constraints and the media are regularly highlighting issues of abuse and poor care standards, this research demonstrates the public support for innovative solutions.
“This is demonstrably working in practice. Care homes using events-only camera surveillance technology have reported
NEW GUIDELINES COULD STOP HEALTHCARE LOCUMS
BEING UNFAIRLY TAXED Over 2,500 UK healthcare professionals and providers have received new guidelines on the correct imposition of new tax rules that could see locums lose 30-50% of their income.
The guidelines, published by the Locum Doctors’ Union (LDU) and Healthcare Professionals Union (HPU), aim to encourage a collaborative culture between locums and NHS Trusts, help healthcare professionals understand the IR35 rule and the complex terms of their locum contracts, and provide advice on what to do if they feel they are being unfairly taxed or underpaid for their work.
The NHS relies on locum healthcare workers to plug gaps in GP surgeries and hospitals - and the new rules would see them treated as employed workers, despite not being entitled to
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a significant increase in occupancy and improvement in care standards.
“The care industry can no longer bury its head in the sand about what is happening as, even in the best homes, individual cases of poor care delivery can occur.
“Understandably, the use of cameras in a care setting is an emotive subject and I am sure any debate will trigger concerns about intrusion into people’s privacy. However, such fears should not stifle an informed debate about technologies that can materially improve safeguarding for vulnerable people.
“By explaining how the technology can work in the interests of both service
maternity pay, death-in-service pay, sick leave and more - which all other NHS staff receive.
The LDU, which is supported by the HPU - an association representing nurses and allied healthcare workers - successfully overturned the tax rule which was imposed at short notice by NHS Improvement in April and risked thousands of self-employed and agency workers leaving the already stretched health service.
NHS Trusts now have to carry out a case-by-case assessment for each locum worker to decide whether or not each individual’s circumstances dictate they should fall within IR35 - creating hours of extra work as Trusts look to ease pressure on staff and services – the LDU guidelines aim to ease this pressure for both locums and the NHS.
Each time a locum is taken on, their case and employment terms must be reviewed by both the healthcare professional and the NHS Trust to take into account the varying operating cultures of the different NHS providers.
users and employees, I believe any apprehensions can be overcome. Individual privacies and liberties can be protected and respected by using intelligent cameras, which provide monitoring on an ‘events’ only basis.
“In addition, any camera system could and should operate independently of providers, with third party trained health and social experts reviewing any events.
“It should be recognised that, even in the best homes, individual cases of serious abuse can occur and that surveillance systems not only protect service users, but also staff if they are wrongly accused of abuse.
“Technological advances and monitoring systems have the potential to boost confidence in the sector and drive up standards as well as protecting staff and service users and this needs to be recognised by providers, commissioners and industry regulators in the same way as three quarters of the public do.”
www.care-protect.co.uk
The guidelines also address the topic of mutual exclusivity to a single NHS Trust, as some locums will work for multiple Trusts in a short space of time, to meet demand for workers from different areas.
The guidance issued by the LDU and HPU has been draſted in partnership with Alex Peebles, of Duncan Lewis Solicitors, and barrister Michael Paulin.
The LDU is keen that the guidance is undertaken in collaboration with the NHS and aims to continue to represent the best interests of healthcare professionals following the IR35 clarification.
Dr Benedict Itsuokor, president of the Locum Doctors Union, stated: “The guidelines will help locum healthcare workers and NHS Providers work together to achieve an amicable and fair solution to the IR35 tax rule.
“LDU will also continue to support its members through negotiation, mediation and litigation of contract terms where required.”
www.locumdoctorsunion.uk www.tomorrowscare.co.uk
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