CARE bosses faced a hostile reception from former staff and disgruntled service users during an explosive meeting of Bridgwater Town Council.

Following a presentation from former employee Deborah Munton at the previous council meeting, where she outlined accusations of bullying, carers being overworked and systemic failings, Somerset Care chairman Chris Davies and CEO Jane Townson came to address the concerns at the Annual Public Meeting on Thursday, May 11.

Mrs Townson said: “The undue stress which has sometimes been experienced in our services has been because, for the best of reasons, we have tried to help all the people who are referred to us by Somerset County Council.

“However the restricted funding has meant that, in an increasingly difficult market for staff, we have not been able to recruit enough people.”

She said she hoped this would be resolved soon as the new contractual arrangements introduced by the county council would mean Somerset

Care would no longer be obliged to take on new care packages if it does not have the capacity to deliver them.

“We are a not-for-profit social enterprise, and in January to March 2017 we carried out 76,266 calls to customers from our Sedgemoor Community Services base, and missed just 24 in this time.”

Councillors thanked Mr Davies and Mrs Townson for attending and asked those with concerns to talk with the chairman and CEO of Somerset Care directly during an adjournment of the meeting.

However it was not before receiving scathing criticism from concerned service users and former staff.

Bridgwater Mercury:

CATALYST: Former Somerset Care worker Deborah Munton's allegations have sparked concerns from Bridgwater Town Council

One former worker, who wished to remain anonymous said: “After reading the allegations made by Deborah Munton, I wish to show my support.

“I have been witness to and encountered many situations that prove the allegations are true. 

“I am so glad somebody has had the strength to highlight the underhanded and unprofessional service operated by Somerset Care to vulnerable people in our community and its staff.

“I had been an employee of Somerset Care for eight years but could no longer find it within myself to work for such and uncaring company, and terminated my employment in December 2016.”

She said there had been times she had been forced to work alongside staff who had not completed mandatory training and said it was not uncommon to read care plans that were ‘out of date’.