Child protection problems in nhs

[Jonanon89]

Last end March (2011) I was concerned about the behaviour of a member of staff on the Teenage Cancer Trust Unit at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. I do not want to identify the member of staff except that it was a Nursing Auxiliary on the ward as I do not think that this is the point of what I would like to say here.

I was concerned about the member of staff's behaviour on the ward as the staff member behaved inappropriately at times with members of senior staff and patients. The Nursing Auxiliary was overly familiar with patients and said inappropriate things to them.

 

What is particularly disturbing is that the Nursing Auxiliary attended a trip and there were child protection concerns with regard to the member of staff on the trip. I heard that the member of staff got drunk with and spent time in patient's aged under 18's rooms.

 

I heard that the Nursing Auxiliary's behaviour was reported to the Ward Sister edit and Service Manager edit and the child protection concerns and drunkness were reported at that time.

 

However, I remember seeing the Nursing Auxiliary on the ward throughout April and then I was told he was off sick and I never saw the staff member again. Therefore why was the staff member allowed to be on the ward when there were child protection concerns. Surely there should have been some investigations before the staff member returned to the ward.

 

What is more, I have noticed that edit is now working for Teenage Cancer Trust itself in a very responsible job. It seems strange that she allowed someone that child protection concerns had been raised about to work on a ward with vulnerable teenagers and then get a promotion?

Edited October 8, 2012 by freakyleaky
Removed staff names

[hine moa]

ummm, are you allowed to name names on here?

[freakyleaky]

ummm, are you allowed to name names on here?

 

No.

[hine moa]

Ok, next time I'll hit report to get it to the mods quicker then. I'm a mod myself on another forum and know how hard it is to keep checking everything 24 hours a day.

[freakyleaky]

Thanks. I did remove the names in around 2 minutes. Not bad I thought.

[hine moa]

Thanks. I did remove the names in around 2 minutes. Not bad I thought.

 

Cool, guessing you were doing that as I was reading it. My jaw lol

[honeybee13]

Hello Jonanon.

 

I've moved your thread to the NHS forum and left a redirect from the Welcome forum where you first posted.

 

My best, HB

[Philip23]

There should be someone with responsibility for child protection/safeguarding within the hospital. If you have concerns this is the person that the concern should be referred to. I worked in CP and all our local hospitals had a named person. Any concern should be investigated appropriately.

 

All organisations need a CP Policy if they deal with anyone under the aged 17 and under and the process for reporting concerns should be contained within this policy.

[honeybee13]

Hello Philip23. It's kind of you to comment.

 

My best, HB

[Night Owl]

With the greatest respect Jonanon89, everyone who works with children in Hospital has training on Child Protection on a regular basis as part of the Mandatory training programme.

Without knowing the context of the concerns you mention any reports made against staff would be investigated fully.

 

As a visitor to a hospital if you witness a concern then it should be reported at that time to the Senior Nurse in charge.

This will allow for the maximum of information that can be taken.

[nolegion]

And Savile?

[Sali]

Quite right Nolegion.

 

It would seem that Jonanon89 did not report his/her concerns re. the auxiliary.

 

It could be that the management remain unaware of the auxiliary's inappropriate behaviour with patients.

 

I know it may seem weasley to snitch on a former colleague, but I believe the OP should still act. I don't know what role the promoted ex-auxiliary is in now and whether it involves interaction with patients or whether it could do in the future.

 

These patients were vulnerable by both their age and their health.

 

We have seen enough incidents and scandals bubble to the surface to realise that 'the system' often turns out to have more holes in than a string vest and the commonsense of those in responsible positions seems to have gone AWOL.

 

I am conscious that many whistleblowers become victims and wonder whether it is possible to report your concerns anonymously Jonanon89. I would almost suggest that you do this to more than one party - the senior nurse, their current manager and whomever else you deem appropriate - in the hope that at least one of them takes the matter seriously.

 

Terry Bryan was the hero in the Winterbourne scandal. If he hadn't persisted in reporting his concerns about the mistreatment of vulnerable adults to the management, to the senior management, to the CQC (3 times) and finally to the only people who took notice, Panorama, it may very well be continuing to this day.

 

Reading some of the reports of Savile's (I should say alleged) victims it is obvious that the years have not eased their suffering.

 

It's your call.