We’re not on phones, say staff after claims

Care home bosses have been forced to slap stickers on staff’s handheld monitoring devices because visitors complained they were using their mobile phones for fun when they should have been working.

Balhousie Care Group issued the equipment so employees could electronically store information on residents’ wellbeing, medication, meals etc in a form that can be more easily accessed by managers.

However, the firm suddenly found itself fielding complaints that workers were taking time out to check messages and update Facebook instead of tending to residents’ needs.

Now the company has devised a set of stickers and posters with the message “Don’t worry, we’re not on our phones” to assure visitors that staff are actually working.

The scheme is being launched this week at Balhousie Clement Park care home in Dundee, before being introduced to the company’s 26 homes across Scotland in the next month.

Jill Kerr, group chief executive officer for Balhousie Care Group, said: “We were getting comments from some visitors to our homes that staff looked like they were on their phones.

“The misconception was that they were taking a break to text or catch up with social media, which couldn’t be further from the truth.

“In fact, our homes have strict no-mobile policies while staff are working. What visitors were seeing was our care staff inputting valuable information about how our residents are feeling and acting, what they’ve eaten, whether they’ve had their medication.

“The mobile monitoring devices are great for the on-the-go nature of the job, it’s just that if you’re not a member of staff, you might not understand what they are.”

Margaret Stephen, home manager at Balhousie Clement Park, said: “This is a perfect solution and has already been well received by staff, who were frustrated that visitors thought they might be taking a break.

“They’re an incredibly hardworking bunch and we’re delighted to be celebrating that.”