The management of St Vincent de Paul Residence is again looking into the possibility of having CCTV cameras in wards and corridors installed after an elderly resident was allegedly assaulted by a carer.  

The residence said that on Monday one of its carers was suspended pending police investigations.

According to sources, the management in recent years twice sought clearance from the Data Protection Commissioner for the installation of CCTV, most recently last March. Both requests were rejected on grounds of privacy.

Workers’ unions had also opposed the move.

The issue came to the fore again in light of Monday’s incident, sources added, as management seeks to improve safety conditions at the home, which has more than 1,000 residents.

There is no mercy for those who abuse the dignity of the elderly

A spokeswoman for the Family Ministry, which is responsible for the government’s homes for the elderly, said when contacted that while there were many workers in the healthcare sector who dedicated their lives to caring for residents, there was no mercy for those who “abused the dignity of the elderly”.

“In 2016, SVPR management introduced the zero tolerance policy for the effective management of cases of alleged abuse. This policy caters for physical, verbal, financial, sexual and psychological abuse. The policy stipulates all actions to be taken and how these cases should be handled, including submission of police reports and internal investigations, while the employee is refrained from performing the duties until the investigations are completed,” the spokeswoman said.

Asked about claims the resident fell while the carer was handling him, the spokeswoman would not comment, pointing out that the police were investigating.