Sir, – In common with others, I was horrified by what I saw on Prime Time. This is not a training or staffing level issue; we could see that there were enough staff, and a kind schoolchild could do a better job of looking after these women than the nurses and Fetac-qualified assistants there, because it is kindness that matters, not qualifications. My elderly mother has home carers who are recently qualified but have been doing the job successfully for years beforehand, and they are so kind and wonderful to her. Maybe the qualification helps with paperwork and first aid training but if they were not kind and caring people, no amount of training would help. You need to start by hiring and training people who are patient and kind and then you have a hope of getting it right. I was also horrified to hear the HSE spokesperson speak of apologising to the relatives. I'd like them to apologise to the women who were abused. – Yours, etc,
IRENE FENELON,
Enniskerry,
Co Wicklow.
Sir, – We have allowed the care of vulnerable people of all ages in a range of environments to become, to a considerable extent, a minimum wage job, with all that implies.
Are we entitled to demand high standards of these workers when we offer them poor pay, little or no career development, low status and no respect? – Yours, etc,
MAEVE KENNEDY,
Rathgar,
Dublin 6.