Help please

pampers

pampers

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Clifford
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Ok I cant go into to much detail. But I have now been asked, by the manager at the place I work. To cook microwave meals for some of the residents.Some of whom are delicate (to say the lease). And also to make sure that they take their meds.
1 Do I need have food hygiene Cert.
2 I am amost sure that I should not be having anything to do with meds.

Should I just keep my mouth shut. And do as I have been asked, in the interest of keeping my job (63 this year).I was employed to just keep a log of who, goes in and out, and the times. I will have been here 2 years next month, but have not been give a conteract, or Job discription. Even though I have asked many times.

So stay or go?????
 
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No Union I suppose?
 
Contract is implied after 16 weeks as I understand it. So the regular hours and wages you are paid should remain.

I cook and give meds to clients in a part time agency job I have and haven't got either of the above. And sometimes their is only two agency staff on, so neither of us have training in meds or hygene.

Not saying its right, but its my experience of it
 
Not an expert on this, but as a first aider, you have to be very careful when it comes to telling people to take paracetamol/anadin, so for you to be asked to administer meds is a definite no no! Should any of them have a reaction to the meds you give, then it will come down to why did you give them, i'm sure your boss will get in trouble, but not worth it, should anything go wring.
I would ask citizens advice for more clarification.

Not too sure on the Food hygiene, but i am going to say yes, as having been in the industry, everybody who works inthe kitchen needs the cewrtificate, and by cooking the meals, you then become a food handler. Again, should somebody get ill, the manager may deflect it onto you.

I would say you are willing to do it, but you want clarification with regards to the legal side of things, as you are essentially administering drugs and also serving food.
 
stokes said:
Contract is implied after 16 weeks as I understand it. So the regular hours and wages you are paid should remain.

I cook and give meds to clients in a part time agency job I have and haven't got either of the above. And sometimes their is only two agency staff on, so neither of us have training in meds or hygene.

Not saying its right, but its my experience of it
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That makes me feel a bit better. But I work in a home for vunerable adults, would that be the same.
 
you will i would have thought need a food hygiene cert and no way unless trained should you be doing the meds i would have thought.
microwave or not you can still at worst kill someone. i wouldn't do it.
an no blinking way would i do amything with anyones meds if i haven't beentrained how to ect and i don't mean shown by the person who is asking you to.

sorry if that shounds harsh.
 
funky_monkies said:
What is your job?
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I work in a home for vunerable adults. All have very bad mental issues. And are on strong sycotic meds.

There are 26 residents at the moment. And I and on my own.
 
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I would refuse.

I would not do the food as you do not have the neccesary training - you would still need to check food is cooked to the right temperature, and what would happen if you gave someone a meal that was too hot and they burnt their mouth badly/dropped it down themselves? What if someone got food poisoning?

And what if they do/don't take their meds and something goes wrong - how liable could you be?

It sounds daft, but in a company that won't even give you a contract of employment, any liabilaty from their side is likely to be denied, and as your the honest bloke you are, you could be held liable for something if it went wrong.
 
pampers said:
I work in a home for vunerable adults. All have very bad mental issues. And are on strong sycotic meds.

There are 26 residents at the moment. And I and on my own.
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I've been a healthcare assistant for 5 years, worked in hospitals and now on the district, I have NVQs in Health and Social Care and i'm not allowed to give meds!!

Some home carers can give a patient their meds if they are written up and in blister packs only. How will their meds be given?

I personally wouldn't agree to it unless they are willing to give you proper training.
 
gumbo-67 said:
you will i would have thought need a food hygiene cert and no way unless trained should you be doing the meds i would have thought.
microwave or not you can still at worst kill someone. i wouldn't do it.
an no blinking way would i do amything with anyones meds if i haven't beentrained how to ect and i don't mean shown by the person who is asking you to.

sorry if that shounds harsh.
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Not at all loverly lady. Rock and the Hard place, comes to mind.
 
funky_monkies said:
I've been a healthcare assistant for 5 years, worked in hospitals and now on the district, I have NVQs in Health and Social Care and i'm not allowed to give meds!!

Some home carers can give a patient their meds if they are written up and in blister packs only. How will their meds be given?

I personally wouldn't agree to it unless they are willing to give you proper training.
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Some in blister packs some in bottles, with name on. Everyone says that I am just the door monitor, when I ask anything about the residents
 
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i would be more worried about lone working with that many service users than the fact you are nuking their food or giving their meds.

If you have shadowed another member of staff doing the meds, then really you can give them. i work in places that generally have 5/6 service users and only lone work at night. Im guessing that you work at night and they are asking you to give meds before someone goes to bed etc? blister packs?

It will be a shock to some but you can administer meds to service users with little or no training. Food wise, just use your common sense.... horrid thought, but if someone got ill places like that would cover it up anyway!

sorry missed others posts, was writing this..
 
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stokes said:
i would be more worried about lone working with that many service users than the fact you are nuking their food or giving their meds.

If you have shadowed another member of staff doing the meds, then really you can give them. i work in places that generally have 5/6 service users and only lone work at night. Im guessing that you work at night and they are asking you to give meds before someone goes to bed etc? blister packs?

It will be a shock to some but you can administer meds to service users with little or no training. Food wise, just use your common sense.... horrid thought, but if someone got ill places like that would cover it up anyway!

sorry missed others posts, was writing this..
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Day staff finish 17.00hrs.
I start at 17.00hrs and finnish at midnight 7 days a week.No days off
No have never even watched the meds round, as they are in a rush to go home.
 
pampers said:
Day staff finish 17.00hrs.
I start at 17.00hrs and finnish at midnight 7 days a week.No days off
No have never even watched the meds round, as they are in a rush to go home.
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In your case something is very wrong. my experience has been bad, over the last 5/6 years part time but yours seems silly.

Does the guy at midnight come on and do a meds count?

If i was you i would speak to your line manager about what you have been asked to do and ask that you are shown how to manage the meds, and see what they say. alot of private companies are bad, but this seems to take the biscuit.. do you have to sign that the meds have been given?
 
stokes said:
In your case something is very wrong. my experience has been bad, over the last 5/6 years part time but yours seems silly.

Does the guy at midnight come on and do a meds count?

If i was you i would speak to your line manager about what you have been asked to do and ask that you are shown how to manage the meds, and see what they say. alot of private companies are bad, but this seems to take the biscuit.. do you have to sign that the meds have been given?
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OK here goes
Day staff 8 till 5 monday to friday.
Me 17.00hrs till midnight 7 days a week. 365 days a year (unless I am on Holiday)
No one on duty after midnight. No one on duty during the days at weekends. Untill I come in at 17.00hrs. I have to give them their 22.00 meds monday to friday. And on friday nights give them their saturday daytime meds to take. And the same on Saturday nights. Now please understand, I love the residents to bits (thats why I do the silly hours). But I am scared that I might make a mistake. Yes I have to log the meds in a report book
 
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Thanks for all your help:thumbs:

I am going to come into work during the day on Monday. And tell my manager, and the owner, that as of then, I will no longer cook their food, or give out meds. Untill I am given some proper training. If he gives me the heave ho, so be it.
 
I have no clue on the legal situation, but my gut feeling is I don't like the sound of it much or the people you work for, it all smacks of the place being run on a shoe string.

Do these new responsibilities involve any more money?
 
CT said:
I have no clue on the legal situation, but my gut feeling is I don't like the sound of it much or the people you work for, it all smacks of the place being run on a shoe string.

Do these new responsibilities involve any more money?
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Ah I wondered when the money part would crop up. Just so everyone knows, that I am not here for the money. I am going to tell you what I get.

I am paid £6 per hour and that is it. I get no overtime payments. Just a day in lue for bank holidays. So it is easy to work out 49x6.Less tax and insurance.

But I do like the job, and the residents, well I love them to bits.

It is run as a businsse and the bottom line seems to be prophit
 
You can take a CIEH Food Safety Certificate course online for £25, but your employer should pay. Your local Council's Environmental Health Department may also run the courses, but they would cost about double. You might want to give them a tip-off (you really should).
 
It sounds like the place is run more as a hostel than a care home. I'm pretty sure that level of staffing wouldnt be allowed in a care home. If your residents are on antipsychotics it is important that they are seen to take them as some will leave them off because of the side effects. Do they keep their own medication or are you asked to give it to them?

Having worked with vulnerable adults myself for many years the whole set up sounds dodgy, run just for profit. If they are registered as a care home they will get visits from inspectors at some point. I hope they shake them up a bit.

You are right to ask for training for food preparation and giving meds. I dont think they will sack you as you are obviously doing a good job for them on ridiculously low wages.

I'm glad you enjoy your work and love your residents- I'm sure you are very important to each of them. Well done for doing an important job for little financial reward.
 
I dont know about the meds, although it sounds very dodgy to me.
I did however used to volunteer in the aircraft museum my familly is invloved in cafe sometimes when there was no-one else available.
It was only serving tea and coffee and prepacked biscuits etc, but I still needed a basic food hygene certificate.
 
I've re read this thread several times and I'm horrified. In this modern day and age, the welfare of sick people at night is left to a lone worker who is expected to feed and administer meds?

The owner of this establishment should be reported for his penny piching ways and mal care of his charges, and if he/she sacks you, you should immediately take then to a tribunal and have them publicly embarrassed in the press for their inhumane actions.

Sorry, rant over.
 
pampers said:
Ah I wondered when the money part would crop up. Just so everyone knows, that I am not here for the money. I am going to tell you what I get.

I am paid £6 per hour and that is it. I get no overtime payments. Just a day in lue for bank holidays. So it is easy to work out 49x6.Less tax and insurance.

But I do like the job, and the residents, well I love them to bits.

It is run as a businsse and the bottom line seems to be prophit
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Believe me, I completely understand that job satisfaction can be more rewarding than money and it's very commendable that you feel as committed to these residents as you do, but the bottom line here seems to be that you are being taken severe advantage of by your employers and the welfare of the residents seems to be a very low priority.

Being the lone person on duty and responsible for food and medication seems an onerous responsibility to be undertaken without adequate training in your new responsibilities.

I think you're doing the right thing in demanding proper training for your new duties before accepting this new role and I hope things work out for you.
 
no! no! no! when the **** hits the fan it will be YOU!!! in the firing line. You need to be trained.
 
Sounds to me like there's a big whistle that needs blowing on that establishment. Not so much about the food hygeine as I think that is no longer a legal requirement but doling out strong meds would worry me!
 
My gf works in a care home for the elderly. she says you dont need a hygeine cert for the meals, but you cant give meds without proper training.
All it takes for you to make one mistake with giving med's and you would be in a lot of bother and so would your boss.
I'd suggest you give ACAS a call and get advice.
 
Thank you all for your replys:thumbs:.

I will keep doing what I feel I must, for the weekend (or else it will only be the residents that suffer). But I will be leaving a typed letter (I will keep a copy). Telling my boss, that I will be comeing in at 10.00hrs, on Monday 16-05-2011 as I need to talk about some concerns I have regaurding my duties.

As for what happens on Monday:shrug: only onething is sure. He does what I feel needs doing (training). Or I will stop doing what I have been doing. If he sacks me, then he does. The wife is happy to back me up, what ever happens.

Thanks again to you all. Will keep you all updated as to what happens.
 
I'm sure a employment lawyer would love to hear his reasons for sacking you if you refuse to hand medication without proper training.
 
pampers said:
OK here goes
Day staff 8 till 5 monday to friday.
Me 17.00hrs till midnight 7 days a week. 365 days a year (unless I am on Holiday)
No one on duty after midnight. No one on duty during the days at weekends. Untill I come in at 17.00hrs. I have to give them their 22.00 meds monday to friday. And on friday nights give them their saturday daytime meds to take. And the same on Saturday nights. Now please understand, I love the residents to bits (thats why I do the silly hours). But I am scared that I might make a mistake. Yes I have to log the meds in a report book
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You work seven days a week, every week, all year?

They've got you sussed haven't they. Is MUGGINS writ large in red ink on your forehead.

Get out and join another care home that treats you like a human being and not some slave to be walked over and treated like the **** on someones shoe.
 
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