By Mithran Samuel

Tonight's much-trailed Panorama investigation into domiciliary care looks set to deliver a damning verdict on the sector.

Based on evidence unearthed by reporters working undercover in three agencies, its charge sheet is damning, though familiar:- lack of training; short and, sometimes, missed appointments; and care plans not being available, not being updated and not being followed.

And of course, the programme will detail the human costs of these failings, such as what happened to Janet Finn, in June 2008, when the 89-year-old, who has dementia and is doubly incontinent, did not receive any of her three expected appointments during a single day.

Her son said: "She'd had 24 hours with no food, no water, no medication and she was sitting in her own faeces and urine."

All of this leaves us with two questions: how representative is this picture?; and how have these failings been allowed to happen? 

Read the complete post at http://www.communitycare.co.uk/blogs/social-work-blog/2009/04/the-trouble-with-home-care.html