Thousands still get 15min visits

THOUSANDS of vulnerable people still receive ‘flying’ 15-minute care visits from overstretched home helps, a survey has found.

Disability charity Leonard Cheshire said one in seven councils in England still provide the ‘degrading’ visits.

They give care workers less than a quarter of an hour to provide intimate care such as helping people go to the toilet or have a bath. The charity’s research revealed that in England, Scotland and Wales at least 18,875 people received personal care visits of 15 minutes or less in 2016/17. The figure is likely to be even higher as many councils did not respond to Freedom of Information requests.

Flying visits in England go against official guidance within the Care Act 201 that they are not appropriate for those needing support with intimate care.