Problem with a care home.

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Dear All,
I would be peased to have some advice regarding the above.

I have been providing a Podiatry service to a care home regularly for 2 years without any problems. I was due to attend recently for a pre-booked visit. The day before I was contacted by a member of staff (not the manager) to tell me not to visit. I was not happy about this and told the person so, and asked why my services were not required any more. They said they did not know and it "wasn't their decision".

I think that this late cancellation was both discourteous and disrespectful to myself and my profession.

I think that the manager should have raised any issues with me before taking this course of action. If there were problems then surely I should have been informed?

As the cancellation was at short notice I have lost out on income, so I would I be able to bill the home for the lost fees? I did not have a written contract with them only a verbal arrangment.

I have written to the manager asking them for an explanation/clarification and I am awaiting their response. I am thinking of raising the matter with The Quality Care Commission.

I would appreciate any opinions on this.

regards

Podess

 

I agree with you. Totally unprofessional behaviour on their part.

I would ask for an explanation in writing, and write to the CQC anyway.

Ideally you need a contract in writing. Getting paid for the wasted time, you must be joking. Put it down to a learning curve!

 

Just in case, there was a problem with the treatment of a patient, I would advise you to give your version of events in writing, even possibly letting the CQC know.

It may prevent a complaint escalating to HCPC level if you have resolved/diffused in the situation.

In my book, EVERYONE has a right to reply. The problem in this world is that there is too much bad mouthing, and people are quite simply not given a right to reply/their version of events.

 

Thank you for your replies, Disgruntled.

I am considering devising a cancellation policy and including this on my consent forms. Do you think that this would help curb late cancellations?

I have read all the threads on this topic and it seems that some posters think that this is a good idea in theory but difficult to enforce.

I would be pleased to have more imput on this.

regards

Podess

 

Unfortunately. these care/nursing homes are also notorious for atrocious pay for chiropodists: £8-15 per patient. The working conditions are also atrocious.

 

Hello Disgruntled,
I was charging this home £25.00 per client and the working conditions were good.

I have put in a complaint to the manager and also notified the Quality Care Commision of their totally unprofessional behaviour. I can't really comment fully until I have the manager's reply, but I would suspect that the reason is due to a cost issue. None of the Chiropodists in this locality visit care homes, the work is done by other (unregulated) footcare practitioners. You are correct in saying that the usual fee is about £15.00.



regards

Podess

 

Sometimes we spend our valuable time and energy try to change things that are not possible to change. I you take may advice from one who worked in the NHS, resign and work for yourself. You will not regret it.

 

Hello Stefan,
I'm sorry but I don't understand your post.

I am self-employed.

My complaint was that the care home cancelled me without giving reasonable notice.

regards
Podess

 

Hi, Sorry I did not realise, in that case I would charge for your lost time. Thanks Stefan

 

You can try to claim for the lost income................but.................unless you have a written contract stating this, trying to actually get it may well be easier said than done.

Having heard expert barristers talk on this subject, and people within authority at the society talk at conferences, it is like I said, easier said than done.

For everyone out there, when you take on an associate, have a contract in place. When you take on a new nursing/care home contract, get this thing in writing. The society have said that there have been loads of cases which have been very difficult to deal with, simply because there was no written agreement. Having a written agreement makes things much much easier to deal with legally!

Legally, if it was not written down, you have no case in a small claims court!

 

podess. Sorry for your lost income , very fustrating. many years ago i attended a home regularly got there 40 mile journey.new manager said very sorry but i am changing things. i used to see every resident, she says we are not ready for you and wont be needing you in the future, but there is one resident who you can see if you wait about. i said no thanks cyanara. never been to a home since.You will just have to put it down to experience the manager will have an arrangment with one of her mates i suspect if you did 10to 20 residents she did not like your income.

 

Although a little late to your post I can say that it is the same down under! This recently happened to me. I had been visiting a home for over 3 years. Everyone appeared happy except head office decided to cancel my visits suddenly because they had found another podiatry company cheaper...

My contract, although with the home, obliged the residents to pay me for my care and therefore I could not hold the home responsible for lost monies. It was a frustrating time.

This new company then had the audacity to approach me and offer me the contract back at much reduced rates because they could not find a podiatrist who would work for such low rates.
It took them over 3 months to find a new graduate to take on this nursing home, leaving the residents without care for this period of time to save a few dollars. I know this because the manager and several residents contacted me personally for care during this time. I did not return to the home.
I feel sorry for the residents and wonder what shortcuts are being made to their care for that company to charge rates so low.
All I can say is that this gave me more time in the clinic. My back doesn't hurt anymore and I see a larger variety of podiatry concerns now.

 

Yeah I recently got approached by one of these "podiatry companies". The offer was for me to see up to 40 nursing home patients a day, 4-5 days a week, quote "you will see one patient every six minutes" (NO JOKE!), for $60K a year.
Hahahahahaha!!! Sorry folks, with only 900 or so Podiatrists in NSW we are in high demand and not quite ready to sign up for "slave labour". !!!

 

Surfboy: It's then claimed that no podiatrists are available or there is a shortage (which as far as I can tell doesn't seem to be true), and then out come 457 visas.

 

Very true Bjorn. This does explain the 457..

Notwithstanding this, I just can't see why any Aussie Podiatrist would go and work for one of these Podiatry companies, and get paid a pittance, when they could provide care to nursing homes on their own terms without the involvement of the "company". Lets face it folks, the companies are taking a huge amount of the billings from the Podiatrist, without even lifting a single nail clipper!!!!!

 

Dear All,
Thank you, to all who posted in response to my problem.

I am pleased to report a positive outcome and I have been paid for the lost income.

I raised the matter with the owners of the care home and also Trading Standards and the CQC. I pointed out to the owners that I had a contract with the manager to provide Chiropody services and sent them a business card which states on the back "A fee may be payable for a broken appointment if 24 hours notice of cancellation is not given". I told them that I was quite prepared to go to the Small Claims Court to recoup my loss of earnings.

They paid me by cheque recently, but I did not get any explanation as to why my services had been terminated.
To top it all I had a 'phone call from the manager later with a "sort-of"apology saying that it wasn't her idea to terminate my services, it had been an instruction from the owners. She also asked that, should the new practitioner (who is not an HCPC Registrant) turn out be unsuitable, would I come back and visit again?!
I politely told her that her actions has destroyed any possiblity of any future working relationship, and that I wasn't interested.

Her audacity leaves me breathless !


regards

Podess

 

Good that it turned out ok, but don't get too shirty with staff who can't fight back (would be my advice).

 

david H,
you said

Your comment is unnecessary as I wasn't "shirty" with anyone.

Podess

 

Hi,

I have just taken on my first large care home contract, i use the term contract lightly as nothing is in place other than a verbal agreement that i will provide care every 6 weeks. How easy is it to put a meaningful contract in place should this matter ever arise? Can this be done between the two parties or do I need professional input?

 

Always take advice on diamond cutting from a diamond cutter. Yes I would take legal advice, if it scares off the new customer? then they can't be trusted. Thanks Stefan