HOME care visit to patients for as little as 15 minutes have been slammed by a county councillor who blames ‘sickening cutbacks’ at County Hall in Worcester.
Coun Peter McDonald says 348 people are receiving these shorts visit as a way of delivering care ‘on the cheap’.
He said: “This is not caring for people; it is just ticking a box to say they have received a visit. You cannot care for someone properly in 15 minutes or less, it is impossible to fulfill the needs of someone in a few minutes: there just is not enough time to ensure the person is coping or needs further help.
“These cutbacks are sickening for they affect the most vulnerable and those most unlikely or unable to complain.
“It is heartbreaking and distressing that many elderly and disabled people are not being cared for in a humane and dignified manner, they are being treated like cattle.”
The county council has said under its policies home care visits can be shorter than half an hour when the worker is known to the resident and the visit is part of a wider package of support.
A Worcestershire county council spokesperson said: “The council continues to make 15 minute home care calls for those residents who do not need personal care but require support such as medication checks and checking on their welfare.
“This is consistent with the guidance published by the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence in 2015. It is the policy of the council that all personal care visits last for at least 30 minutes.
“Whenever we are informed that a person’s needs have changed we arrange for a review of the care plan to make sure that it is still right for them. We encourage people to call our Access Centre help line if they have concerns about any individual.”
