Care homes pioneer abuse helpline

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By Catherine Marston BBC News correspondent Thousands of elderly people are looked after in homes, but for a few what should be a place of care sometimes becomes a place of abuse.

The helpline is available to residents at all 735 of the company's care homes

Often it goes unnoticed and unreported and so a helpline has been set up for residents or their relatives, to report cases of neglect.

The care provider Southern Cross is offering the helpline to residents in all of its 735 care homes in the UK.

It is the first scheme of its kind, and the company is the only major care provider offering such a service.

The helpline is staffed by trained advisors from the charity Action on Elder Abuse. They will not need the permission of Southern Cross to alert authorities to any problems, as they are entirely independent.

'Money well spent'

Eileen Furbank wishes there had been this kind of support available when her mother went into a care home run by a different company.

Frances developed gangrenous bed sores during her stay in a care home

Ninety-year-old Frances Hales was admitted after developing dementia. Eileen says during her visits she realised her mother was in a great deal of pain and was crying out for help.

Some time later she discovered her mother had terrible gangrenous bed sores and she had to be taken to hospital. Frances died very soon afterwards.

"It never goes away," she says. "It's six and a half years ago now and it still bothers me."

The care home concerned has since closed down.

Charities say these types of incidents often go unreported because residents, relatives and carers can feel concerned about the consequences.

All too often people fear reprisals if they report their concerns Kate JoplingHelp The Aged

"Elderly abuse is incredibly worrying," says Kate Jopling from the charity Help the Aged.

"It's a serious issue and we need to take it seriously - all too often people fear reprisals if they report their concerns."

Reassurance

Southern Cross say they are determined to be open and honest about the care offered in their homes and see the £20,000 running costs for the helpline as money well spent.

Kamma Foulkes, chief operating officer with the company says it's about being transparent.

"We have a duty of care to do whatever we can to eliminate abuse in our care homes," she says.

"It's about giving them confidence and letting people know what they deserve in terms of care and respect."

It's good to know who you can turn to Len RouseSouthern Cross care home resident

Len Rouse is a resident at Southern Cross' care home at Tower Bridge in London.

He has Alzheimer's and says he feels reassured that there is someone to turn to if he has any concerns.

"Sometimes you feel like you're not in the picture," he explains.

"You just wouldn't know where to go, and that's the whole point, it's good to know who you can turn to."

His wife Teresa says its vital for her to leave her husband in the home and know he is safe.

"When I leave him I need to know he will be looked after, that he can't hurt himself and he can't get out, it's really important."

So she values the idea of an independent helpline to turn to. "It's wonderful to know there's somebody at the end of the line to talk to. It makes such a difference."

Action on Elder Abuse hopes other major providers of care homes might follow this lead.

"We hope this initiative provides an influence for the whole sector to seriously tackle issues of abuse," says the charity's chief executive, Gary Fitzgerald.

"We recognise how difficult it can be for residents and their families to raise issues of abuse and neglect. This service will tackle many of those barriers, making it easier to report abuse in the knowledge that a response will be achieved."

The charity already has a national free phone helpline offering confidential advice to anyone concerned about abuse of the elderly. This latest project with Southern Cross will run alongside, and the success of the helpline will be reviewed in a year.