The Which? survey that found appalling treatment of the elderly

was reported on BBC News yesterday. "The standards of care provided for older people in their homes in the UK has been labelled "shocking and disgraceful" by a consumer group. Which? found cases of missed visits, food left out of reach, medication not given and people being left in soiled beds during its investigation." And the rest.

It is only the most recent among torrents of similar reports with their litanies of neglect, indifference, inhumanity, etc. resulting in very great suffering for far too many elderly and vulnerable people. These people have a right to expect better of society and of the workers who are employed to care for them on its behalf. My understanding is that health workers like doctors, nurses, dentists, etc have a 'duty of care' toward the people for whom they provide care, and that this 'duty of care' is a phrase with legal standing. Do carers employed to provide care in the domestic home rather than in hospitals and care homes have a similar 'duty of care' towards their charges/clients? - If so, then it's Heaven help the vulnerable! 'cos nothing at all is ever done about the staff in the hospitals and care homes who treat elderly patients with scandalous cruelty - nothing effective, nothing significant, nothing that appropriately punishes the wrongdoers or discourages others from similar behaviour. Nothing worthy of the name of action. Nothing.

Is this the way we want old people to be treated? - Our elderly relatives? - Ourselves? - Of course it isn't. - Then why do successive Governments permit it? and by permitting it, encourage it?

A damning report today highlighted failings by agencies involved in the care of toddler, Aaron Gilbert, beaten to death by his mother's boyfriend.

Care agencies criticised over toddler's death - Guardian

Extract:

"A damning report today highlighted failings by agencies involved in the care of a toddler who was beaten to death by his mother's boyfriend.

Thirteen-month-old Aaron Gilbert died in May 2005 after suffering eight weeks of abuse at the hands of Andrew Lloyd.

An urgent case review ordered following Aaron's death highlighted the failure of the police, social services and health workers to identify Lloyd as a threat to the public.

Lloyd, 23, had moved into the home of Aaron's mother Rebecca Lewis in Swansea, South Wales, towards the end of Aaron's short life. The couple's trial last year heard how Aaron was violently swung around by his feet by Lloyd, lifted up by his ears, thrown on the floor, bitten and forced to smoke cannabis.

Lloyd admitted Aaron's murder and was jailed for life with a recommendation he serve a minimum of 24 years. Lewis, 21, was handed a six-year sentence after she was found guilty of familial homicide, or allowing the abuse to continue.

The details that emerged during the trial led to an urgent case review by the Swansea safeguarding children board, which revealed how the abuse might have been exposed on a number of occasions.

In one instance, a social worker failed to instigate an immediate child protection inquiry despite being warned that Aaron was suffering bruising. Health professionals had seven separate contacts with Aaron in the weeks before his death, but did not know that Lewis was living with Lloyd."

What a horrifying litany of cruelty and needless suffering inflicted on an innocent little child! - What a shower of highly paid professional ninnies who should not have had responsibility for the welfare of a plastic toy, let alone a vulnerable little toddler. - I suppose it is too much to hope that any of them will be relieved of their highly paid jobs and punished in other ways appropriate for the gravity of the harm caused by their failure to do their jobs properly?