Mass Disciplinary

GemBlueTopaz1984

Hi Guy's,

I was hoping you knowledgable people might be able to help my mother out with something she is concerned about, She works at a care home and last night they all the care staff were given letters stating they were to attend a disciplinary tonight, it appears there may have been some social services questions into level of care. My mum loves her job and is very good with the elderly she works with the only complaint she can see of the place she works is that she has had concerns with levels of staff that there aren't enough people to comfortably do the jobs required in the time allotted and she has raised this with her management on many occasions. Can anyone give her any indication of what to expect, what questions to ask, what format this should take place in and what the likely out comes are, she isn't worried for her job exactly because she know she hasn't done anything wrong but she is concerned that this could be something that stays on her employment history within the industry and stop her from progressing into what she really wants to do which is physio assistant for the elderly. I think this has come as a shock as they don't have any idea what its about any help would be greatly appreciated.

thanks

MissSarah1972

They wont all be having one together, will they?

Surely it's one on one and she has the right to bring a union rep or work colleague to the meeting?

ohreally

GemBlueTopaz1984 wrote: »

I think this has come as a shock as they don't have any idea what its about any help would be greatly appreciated

An individual must be informed of the case they are facing before hand and have the right to be accompanied by an appropriate person.

What does her letter of invite actually state?

I'm going for lunch, will pop in later.

colino

I'd be surprised if it was a communal "disciplinary". Perhaps it is a mass meeting to discuss the shocking findings of the investigating group?

GemBlueTopaz1984

ok just spoken to my mum, the letter states they are going in seperately, they have been told they are allowed a union rep but i don't think she will be allowed a colleague as all her colleagues are going in for the same thing, but my mum isn't with a union. And the reason given is that social services have questioned the level of care, my mum knows she hasn't done anything wrong, but this the accussation being so general concerns her as how can she prove she has given a good level of care personally?

pawsies

GemBlueTopaz1984 wrote: »

ok just spoken to my mum, the letter states they are going in seperately, they have been told they are allowed a union rep but i don't think she will be allowed a colleague as all her colleagues are going in for the same thing, but my mum isn't with a union. And the reason given is that social services have questioned the level of care, my mum knows she hasn't done anything wrong, but this the accussation being so general concerns her as how can she prove she has given a good level of care personally?

I don't know if this is possible but presumably the more-abled residents would speak about the care they receive. I don't know if she could use that though?

GemBlueTopaz1984

I've spoken to her again, it appears there was an inspection recently and this is the result of that, she has said on many occasions that she feels there isn't enough staff but the care home class the nurses as staff so the numbers of staff to clients ratio is as required but the nurses don't help with the day to day routine the carers need to do. I worry though that surely if standard of care is low because they don't have the staff to do everything that is needed to be done when it is supposed to be done then how can this be visited on the staff, they don't decide how many staff are working each shift. why should they be penalised and dragged over the coals for what really is a management issue.

kingfisherblue

Has your mum ever documented her concerns - who she spoke to, what she said, what the reply was, etc? Has she ever elevated her concerns to a higher person in the home, apart from her supervisor?

DVardysShadow

GemBlueTopaz1984 wrote: »

ok just spoken to my mum, the letter states they are going in seperately, they have been told they are allowed a union rep but i don't think she will be allowed a colleague as all her colleagues are going in for the same thing, but my mum isn't with a union. And the reason given is that social services have questioned the level of care, my mum knows she hasn't done anything wrong, but this the accussation being so general concerns her as how can she prove she has given a good level of care personally?

Actually, it is when things like this happen that you see the sense in joining a union.

The fact that they are all on the same rap makes it easier for them to take each other in as far as I can see. They need to stick together and insist on having a colleague in for the individual hearings.

westv

GemBlueTopaz1984 wrote: »

why should they be penalised and dragged over the coals for what really is a management issue.

Isn't that what often happens?

marybelle01

Quite apart from the fact that I can't see how a mass disciplinary where nobody has been given time to prepare or evidence to prepare from - or in fact allegations! - can be fair in law... this won't satisfy Adult Services ( I assume this care home is for adults?). If it were the case that every single member of staff has failed in their duty of care, then it could only result from a systemmic failure of management - and that will be what Adult Services are actually concerned about. Such a failure is not fixed by disciplining the entire staff.

Personally I would recommend that you track down the Portfolio Holder (the councillor) who is responsible for that particular service area - if you phone Member Services at your Council they should be able to provide you with a name and contact details - and blow the whistle on what the employer is doing. If it happens to be a Labour Administration, so much the better - if not also track down the Labour shadow for the portfolio. They tend to be much more agitated when employees are blamed en masse for this sort of thing and are much more likely to ask awkward questions - like how the employer is blaming the entire staff for their own failings.