Over the past few months, Care Campaign for the Vulnerable (CCFTV) has been in direct correspondence with the Department of Health and Social Care, supported by my MP, Joy Morrissey, to seek clarity on one of the most urgent issues families and providers face today – safety monitoring in dementia care.
CCFTV has never called for blanket surveillance. What I continue to advocate for is choice-led, independent monitoring solutions that are consented to, respectful, and implemented in partnership with families, residents, and providers.
In July, Joy Morrissey kindly raised this matter on my behalf. The Department’s first reply acknowledged my “continuing concern for the safety of residents and staff in dementia-care settings” and confirmed that:
“Any form of abuse or neglect is unacceptable. We want to see a focused and effective safeguarding system, where harm or risk of harm is identified, acted upon effectively and ultimately prevented.”
The letter went on to say that government wishes “to prevent abuse from happening in the first place, to ensure that the routine use of CCTV cameras to protect people is not necessary.” It described surveillance in care settings as “controversial,” raising issues of privacy and dignity, and advised that the CQC leaves the decision to individual homes, recommending that families and providers seek legal advice if CCTV is considered.
We all welcome the recognition that “abuse and neglect are unacceptable”, but this reply falls short of the reality families bring to CCFTV every day. This is also why so many families feel driven to resort to hidden cameras because they see no other option.
Families are not asking for routine or blanket surveillance. They are asking for choice-led safety monitoring, something only introduced when residents or families request it, providers agree to it and with safeguards in place to protect dignity, privacy, and staff.
When I wrote directly again, the Department’s second reply was blunt:
“With regard to safety monitoring, I am afraid there is nothing I can add to my previous reply… I am sorry for what I understand may be a disappointing reply for Ms Connery, but I hope it is helpful in setting out the Department’s position.”
Care Campaign for the Vulnerable continues to thank Joy Morrissey for her unwavering support. She has raised these issues repeatedly, pressing for the voices of families to be heard at the highest level. But as far as the Department of Health and Social Care is concerned, their position remains fixed: there is “nothing more to add.”
For families and providers, this leaves only confusion. Families hear silence when their loved ones suffer unexplained injuries or unwitnessed falls. Providers who want to embrace transparency are left without clear guidance. Care staff tell me they want the protection of monitoring against false allegations.
I also sit with families in coroner’s courts, where evidence is disclosed behind closed doors. Too often, these hearings reveal failings that were never transparent at the time. Families are left grieving not only their loved one’s death but the absence of truth. These are not abstract policy debates, they are lived experiences of heartbreak.
At the same time, I work with providers and care staff who see the value of independent, choice-led monitoring when it is introduced sensitively and lawfully. They understand that it is not about fear, but about reassurance, dignity, and accountability.
This is why CCFTV ‘s correspondence with the Department matters. I am not advocating against the sector; CCFTV is working with it. Families deserve peace of mind, providers deserve clarity, and staff deserve protection and respect.
When government says “there is nothing more to add,” families hear silence. But I believe there is so much more to say to ensure the safety and dignity of our most vulnerable and the dedicated individuals who care for them.
CCFTV will never stop advocating for this responsible oversight – because safety in care will only be achieved when these conversations stop being treated as optional and start being treated as essential.
