20/10/2012
A care agency based in Kent has expressed what it calls "profound regrets" about giving a position of trust to a carer for sixteen years, on discovering that the carer stole from the vulnerable patients in her care.
The agency sends carers to live-in with elderly patients. In June 2012 Barbara Garvey was given a sentence of 15 months imprisonment for thefts to the value of £12,000 made up from valuable jewellery and war memorabilia that she had taken from the houses of her patients. Suspicions were first aroused about Garvey in 2010 when she was thought to have taken a ring belonging to a patient in Staffordshire, but although she was suspended for a period of five months she was then allowed to continue in her post.
John Smith, an ex-detective working with Durham Police who was involved in the case said the agency ought to have prevented Garvey from working with clients after concerns had initially been raised. He argued that the agency should have realised there was a problem when it came to light that Garvey was under investigation for benefit fraud after being left a large sum of money by a patient in their will. She was subsequently convicted of fraudulently claiming over £14,000 in benefits in November 2010.
The recent BBC One programme Inside Out investigated the vetting of carers who look after elderly patients. A spokesman from the Kent care agency said that most patients were happy with Garvey and that they had received positive reports from their clients about her. He said that the firm adhere to the strict guidelines created by the Care Quality Commission and that the Protection of Vulnerable Adult Checks which were carried out for Garvey came back without any problems. He stressed that during the 50 years since the care agency was formed, it had never before encountered an incident like this.
The agency issued a statement claiming that it "profoundly regrets the unfortunate series of events that affected the clients from whom Barbara Garvey stole." The spokesman also added that the agency is concerned about the claims that have been made by the BBC and will be looking at the issues in more detail with a view to taking further action.
