A CHARITY fundraiser who claims her mother was “failed” by the health system is calling for CCTV cameras to be installed in Dementia care homes across the country.
Former glamour model Jayne Connery has been fundraising for Dementia charities since her mother was diagnosed with the disease three years ago.
But this month her campaigning stepped up a notch when she met Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt and shared her proposal for CCTV to be introduced into Dementia-specific residential care homes.
“My mum ended up in hospital in her previous ‘care’ home and as a family we feel the system failed us,” said Connery, who visits her mother every day.
“We felt it was disgraceful that our voices were not heard about our mother’s situation and I am passionate about raising awareness of the need for CCTV in care homes — which would have caught my mum’s particular failures of care.”
Health Secretary Jeremy HuntShe added: “I understand that having CCTV in private rooms would not be acceptable but it should be at least introduced in communal areas, exits and entrances. Current legislation does not request this of Dementia care homes and I find that shocking in such places, where residents can be vulnerable.”
Connery, who works part-time for an international airline, brought her appeal to Mr Hunt when she had an impromptu meeting with him at work.
“I escorted Mr Hunt to his plane,” she explained. “He asked me so many questions about my campaign and my mum and he showed lots of empathy.”
“He told me to contact Andrea Sutcliffe, Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care at the Care Quality Commission.”
The former model, who previously dated football personalities John Terry and Sven-Goran Eriksson, has since met with Ms Sutcliffe, who has “promised” to discuss the potential for more CCTV cameras to be used.
“Our meeting allowed me to air my particular grievance and to explain why CCTV is needed in our Dementia care homes,” said Connery, whose mother hails from Co. Tipperary and father hails from Co. Limerick.
“I discussed in length my reasons for CCTV to be introduced,” she explained. “I also showed her photographic evidence of my mum’s failures of care — as you can imagine her reaction was of complete empathy and she assured me more will be done.”
The Gerrards Cross-based campaigner, who raised £1,000 for Dementia UK last month by completing a parachute jump, plans to keep raising awareness of “the failings within our dementia care system”.
“No one likes to think people would abuse our vulnerable elderly but our elderly are suffering daily failures of care and it needs to stop,” she added.
“My mum was one of the lucky ones as she had me and she now has been moved into a beautiful home, but I will never become complacent and I plan to visit care homes in my area to talk to them about implementing CCTV systems.”
For further information, to support Jayne Connery’s campaign or visit her online support group, find her Dementia Family Support Group on Facebook.
