Carer and records

I do know thst if it's LA funded care, then a comprehensive file must be kept and everything signed off daily by the carer(s) and (if able) the principal.
That includes the financial side of things as well as a signed receipt book for payments to carer(s) if paid by the principal.
I know someone who got into a lot of trouble due to keeping two sets of books, at the behest of her employer. One set with falsified accounts for the LA/SS and a charity and one set for herself with the true costs of her care.
It came to light when the SS came to visit and were given the wrong set.
The differences were unbelievable, in the tens of thousands annually.

I agree

Even if it's a private arrangement, and whatever the law, an experienced carer would and should keep a daily record, if only for his/her own self-interest.

It's a log of what you've done that day for the client and a record of their daily activities, for example when did the client last open their bowels, is the client walking well today, what did they eat, etc. Also very importantly, how is the client's skin, particularly pressure areas and peri-anal area.

If a whopping big pressure/moisture ulcer is suddenly observed by a relative or district nurse, who is to say how long it's been there if a record of skin condition is not kept?

The above is from a carer's point of view.

From a relative's point of view, don't you want to be able to ask how has my mother's appetite been, has she had visitors, did the district nurses turn up, did the GP visit?, etc?

If a daily record is not kept how is a carer to remember each and every detail of the past weeks?

Many thanks one and all.

Phone the Care Quality Commission to find out what the law is: 03000 616161.

We have a self-employed live-in carer at present and no records are kept. Records were kept when we were using an agency for drop-in care and they were stored here in our home. I believe this is what all agencies do.

I am here about 80% of the time so I am able to keep an eye on what is going on with this self-employed carer, so it is not a concern; but where the client is living alone, then this does seem to be a big gap in the law.

I have worked as a SW and have had cause to deal with situations where I thought a client was being exploited on some way. Is this your concern? - if it is you need to contact your local Social Services Dept to report concerns about a "vulnerable adult" and they are obliged to investigate.

I am happy for you to pm me - it sounds as though you have a big worry on your hands.

How about if you set up a file, if possible with your mum. You could tell both carer and mum that the ambulance service have as that the older/infirm have a readily available list of medication and ailments. This is perfectly true, the paramedics need the information. You could then ask carer to make a note of health and well being etc. (I was going to say health and temper)

I really have no idea what the rules and regulations are for someone working privately, I'm afraid.

You could phone the care quality commission, and they would be able to advise you.

Yes, Miss A , but if you set yourself up as a carer, you can do as you please it seems???
There are no rules or records.

You are allowed to remove the relevant part of a persons care plan and take to appointments, but there are strict rules about how it may be moved.

I really appreciate your replies. I could not for the life of me, find an agency with anybody available. Very difficult situation

I think we were lucky with the second agency we had.

Could you set up a basic file and ask her to keep it so that you can stay up to date with how you mum is doing? Keeping it at home seems odd as there is nothing for ambulance people or doctors to refer to if there is a problem. Did you approach the local authority when you mum needed help? I would always advise it just to get in the system and talk to people who understand it.

I should have thought that, if you got her through an agency, that they would insist on records being kept with the person.

Can you go and stay for few days to get to the bottom of it?

The agencies had absolutely nobody available at all. I live 3 hours away.

Thanks for your replies. This person was employed directly by my mother and was like a Saint arriving on a white charger. We were desperate and there was nobody available.

I am scared now that all is not well. There have never been notes kept for me to see.

You certainly should have a file with notes for each visit. I used to keep post-it notes in my handbag and it was a good way to communicate with the carer. Mum used to send the carer away quite a bit and they would note that too.

If your mother is directly employing the carer it might be a good idea to set up up a file yourself. Mums had a page in the front which identified her and the name she prefered to be called (in case anyone else had to call) and me as the next of kin and care co-ordinator (some call it "main carer"). It also had my daughter's name and phone number.

There was a care plan which identified an overview of her needs including her medication - what and when; there were blank pages which were made up each week so the carer could sign that the medication had been given (made available). Then an AM, lunch-time and PM outline of what needed to be done. There was a completed risk assessment in the file and blank bodies so the carer could note if she spotted any bruising, etc. We also kept a diary of falls as she became more an more prone to them.

To be honest, this is why we used an agency as I would not have known what to do. It also meant we always had cover if someone was on holiday, etc.

My mums carers would write "didn't want any dinner as daughter is going to do it"

I agree with what others have said . The notes really should be kept with the client and available for inspection. Sometimes my grandmas carers would write that they had done something that they absolutely hadn’t or they would say “ offered B a sandwich but she refused “ . How can you argue with that ?

The records are surely to be kept at the persons home to be read by anyone else coming in to help, for instance what if the person was only allowed something once a day it would need to be recorded that he/she had had it If these notes aren’t kept there who knows if they ve been to the toilet, had their tablets, eaten etc etc
If the Carer is refusing to do so, what has she to hide and I d
be very tempted to release her
The carer says they are kept at her own home What good is that?
She doesn’t sound reliable to me

Notes filed elsewhere aren’t a great deal of help to anyone except the carer! Does she need to cover herself rather than report on her ‘charge’?

we had carers four times a day for OH , after they had finished one was tidying and the other wrote up notes , which the other had to sign , they were on the unit in his bedroom

I employed a carer's agency to provide three times a day visit to my Mother and we had a diary arrangement where every visit had notes such as what Mum had to eat, whether she had a shower, was distressed or anything else which was necessary information for the next person coming in, and for me to read as well. They used it to ask me for shopping items and to communicate in general and it was extremely useful. I wouldn't be happy with your carer taking notes about your Mother off the premises, these notes are confidential, if informal, and unless every visit is made by the same person, communication must be difficult. Remember you are the customer here, paying for a service, and must insist, within reason, how you wish the service to be provided. This is a business transaction, however kind the carer, and it is not a favour.

Every visit my daughters carer writes out a short report on duties undertaken and notes any problems. My daughter signs it and keeps a copy, the other goes with the carer.

I think for your own peace of mind and could say safety, it would be to your your advantage to setup such a scheme of keeping a record of day to day events and care.

The records shouldn't be taken elsewhere, its terrible practice, particularly bearing in mind data protection.

They are legal documents, and evidence in the event of anything untoward happening.

Just tell the carer you want the records kept at your mother's home so that they are available to be checked.

You are paying the carer, she does as you say or gets replaced.

Lessismore - I think the key may be in the words you use 'a private arrnagement'.
Someone like a nurse, doctor, physiotherapist etc. who is on a professional register is require to keep records (exactly where is negotiable but away from home they must be locked in a cabinet in a locked office).
Carers, at the moment don't have such professional requirements. Those working for agencies, in care homes etc. are governed by the rules of those places and those who pay them.
A privately paid individual carer should keep proper records and make them available to their client and anyone to whom the client gives permission. That would be good practice, but unless it was part of the terms of contract, or the carer is on one of the professional registers (if for instance they are a registered nurse) I am not sure of the legal situation.
I think this may be another of those 'grey areas'. Was it your mum who appointed the carer?