Preventing financial abuse in care homes

It was sad to read the front page of The Times today, and their story about alleged “serious and systematic financial abuse” of vulnerable care home residents.

When elderly, disabled or otherwise vulnerable people become residents in care homes, they should be offered the very highest standards of care.

The Times reports NHS figures which highlight 20,000 cases of financial abuse reported each year, with around 7,000 of these occurring in care homes.

The Care Quality Commission is responsible for making sure care homes and all other care services in England provide people with safe, effective, compassionate and high-quality care.

They set national standards for care homes, which include the right to be safe, which means protection from abuse or the risk of abuse, including financial abuse.

The Care Quality Commission also helps safeguarding people in care homes in a variety of ways, including referring concerns to local councils and/or the police for further investigation.

If you have a relative who is a resident in a care home, holding a Lasting Power of Attorney and taking an active interest in their financial affairs is an important step in preventing financial abuse and safeguarding their financial welfare.

Financial abuse is less likely to occur where a relative is actively involved in the financial management of a care home resident, particularly where they also work with an independent financial adviser to regularly review income and expenditure, ensuring money is spent as it should be.

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