Cameras in close carers job work place, never informed?! Help!

[calmancool]

I work as a Carer for a gentleman with CP, he is wheelchair bound and has care throughout the weekend and through the night, during the week he attends day centers in the day and carers from 4pm till the following morning. I am employed by him also 3 other carers, I have been here 8 years and the job is in the employers home, a two bed flat, one is the gentlemans room and the other is for the Carer at night and on breaks. With shifts lasting 22 hours, you would eat, sleep, wash, change, shower etc.
but I have just seen something I believe I wasn't supposed too, on walking past my employers lap top I noticed myself on a small screen from a different angle and several other boxes filming other rooms and angles within his flat, MY WORK PLACE! I'm shocked? Firstly because I undress in the carers room, and feel a massive intrusion and loss of trust? Should the staff have been informed? I don't know which rooms are covered and even if I can ask? I feel really awkward and some what disgusted? Please please could someone advise, I was under the impression cameras should be visible and employers should at least know they are not being filmed during personal things? Or is there some special rules for caring within a persons home???

[des8]

Re: Cameras in close carers job work place, never informed?! Help!

Hi and welcome.
I'm sure someone with more knowledge than I about workplace monitoring by CCTV will be along.
For what it's worth my understanding is that if monitoring is deemed necessary by the employer it must be proportionate to the purpose.
If CCTV is to be used an impact assessment should be carried out, and all staff effected should be informed (unless telling staff would defeat the purpose eg detection or prevention of crime).
Your contract might have something about ouvert and couvert monitoring.

[enquirer]

Re: Cameras in close carers job work place, never informed?! Help!

Check to see if the room in which you change has a camera. If it does, you will need to consider what you want to do next.

[wales01man]

Re: Cameras in close carers job work place, never informed?! Help!

I would confront the person paying for the care is it the gentleman or someone else if the cameras are in a room where the cares change wash or use the loo it might be against the law and are the images stored?

[calmancool]

Re: Cameras in close carers job work place, never informed?! Help!

The gentleman pays me as a private employee? I pay tax insurance etc, get a pay slip, there has been small incidents of money going missing. This I believe could be the reason for the cameras but it would not excuse having any surveillance in the private area where carers change etc. I do not wish to take advantage of the gentleman I care for by asking him as if we were supposed to be told surely we would have. He has a mild learning disability, hence he may show me. But his parents do all his admin and wages etc, so would be the ones too install and arrange for the cameras. Even if the cameras only cover his private bedroom and social lounge, I still feel like at night when he has gone to sleep I may have a shower and come out in a towel, which if I knew I had cameras on me I would not! The images and computer are linked to his dad and brothers computer, so I have no clue who or what is being monitored? I have just spoken to another staff member to ask if she was aware and she didn't, she had the same reaction as myself. We have a staff meeting on Friday and she said I should just say what I saw and ask what areas are covered? If that is, the will have realised I spotted it on the screen so they may contact me! I'm considering calling acas as I want to know specific to this job type, what my rights are. If I am told in Friday or find out that the carers space has been covered then I will be handing my notice in and suing them!

[wales01man]

Re: Cameras in close carers job work place, never informed?! Help!

There may be legal implications here if images are transmitted to other computers acas might help or even the police?

[charitynjw]

Re: Cameras in close carers job work place, never informed?! Help!

Does the Information Commissioner's Office know about this.

Is the 'employer' on the Data Controller Register? (including a 'special purpose' listing for CCTV use?)

http://www.ico.org.uk/for_the_public...ic_guides/cctv

[calmancool]

Re: Cameras in close carers job work place, never informed?! Help!

I feel sick, I can't come to work not knowing, no work till Friday which is when the meeting is, I will find out as much as I can and then just be honest and say what I saw, depending on the reaction or explanation I will follow acas etc advice. But now think they will have seen me on camera and be prepared to be able to say no there are no cameras in carers room or bathroom, but how do I know? All the trust built in 9 years is gone?!

[bluebottle]

Re: Cameras in close carers job work place, never informed?! Help!

I am wondering if the employer's conduct amounts to a breach of trust and confidence. The ICO has published guidelines on the use of video surveillance of employees. If the employer has failed to observe these guidelines and the ICO takes the view that the law has been broken, it could prove to be a very expensive exercise, indeed, for the employer.

[enaid]

Re: Cameras in close carers job work place, never informed?! Help!

I do not know the legal side of this problem, I do know that cameras and sensors can be placed in homes that are occupied by people with Dementia. These are to track the persons movements as they are often erratic and dangerous, so I can see why they would be placed in all rooms. Maybe an idea to see if there is a reason in this case, these are I believe called grannycams but as I aid earlier I don't know the actual legalities of this equipment.

[CleverClogs]

Re: Cameras in close carers job work place, never informed?! Help!

If one or more camera(s) had been placed in a room or area where a carer might reasonably expect privacy and if any indecent images had thus been captured, an offence contrary to section 67 (link1, link2) of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 may have been committed.

[Inca]

Re: Cameras in close carers job work place, never informed?! Help!

I absolutely agree with cameras in such circumstances,,we hear of too many cases of abuse/neglect/theft. But I take the point about bathroom/carers room.The simple answer to all this is just ASK,,,,,tell them you have inadvertantly discovered that there is surveillance in the residence and tell them you need reassurance that no privacy of the carers has been compromised...and gauge your next move by their answers.
If you feel you cannot work under such conditions then resign.....but get your facts right first before you take any radical actions.If the cameras are not compromising carers privacy I can't see what the problem is.

[wales01man]

Re: Cameras in close carers job work place, never informed?! Help!

The question must als be what has happened to the images where were or are the cameras and are all the relevant laws regarding recording being observed.I can agree it would be correct to have covert cameras if there was a suspicion of abuse of the gentleman but to have cameras in areas where he does not go must be answered.the OP needs advice from wherever as to the legality of it all data protection rules may have been broken and the laws of indecency may have been broken if so the police must be called

[Inca]

Re: Cameras in close carers job work place, never informed?! Help!

I agree Wales..but I do think putting the cart before the horse (ie.....NOT asking the questions) is not a wise move.

[wales01man]

Re: Cameras in close carers job work place, never informed?! Help!

problem if the OP starts asking questions it would be easy if the persons family are using the cameras wrongfully or illegally they woud remove them and destroy the evidence ,if the authorities are called they will investigate no one except a wrongdoer has anything to fear,as much as the gentleman being cared for has a right to care and no to be abused the carers have rights its a 2 sided thing