Care Workers under Pressure

Panorama investigates a care home short of staff, where external medical professionals report seeing residents neglected, and overseas staff complain of being exploited. Britain’s health and care sector is increasingly reliant on overseas staff, with more than 120,000 visas issued last year. Reporter Balagopal Balakrishnan investigates one of 15 care homes run by a company in north east England. He finds carers being charged thousands of pounds by an unscrupulous recruitment agency and nurses locked into lengthy contracts with financial penalties if they leave early. The programme also hears about dozens of safeguarding alerts, including reports of neglected residents suffering unexplained bruising and uncovers evidence that the company boss is willing to protect staff from regulators when things go wrong. The company says any suggestion that there is systematic bad practice would be unfair and inaccurate.