Media reactions to the Panorama programme ‘Behind Closed Doors:Social Care Exposed’ and care staff reflections on publicity of poor practice in the care sector

摘要

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to present an analysis of media reactions to the BBC Television Panorama programme, Behind Closed Doors’ and to set this in the context of interviews with care staff about their reflections on publicity about poor practice in the care sector. Design/methodology/approachThis paper reports on an analysis of media reactions to recent exposes of abuse in social care in England and data from an interview based study of care workers. The interviews were analysed to consider the impact of such media reports on staff and to explore their views of action that might be need to be taken about care failings.FindingsThere are mixed reactions to exposes of poor care on television and to the debates that precede and follow their broadcast. Debates occur in print and on television, but also in social media. The particular expose of care home practices by the Panorama programme, Behind Closed Doors, led to debate in England about the potential role of covert cameras in care homes. The interviews revealed that while care staff are affected by scandals in the media about social care; they do not necessarily focus on themes that the media stories subsequently highlight. Overall some are disenchanted while others have ideas of what needs to change to improve practice. Care staff consider that there remain problems in raising concerns about practices and some staff feel unable to stay in workplaces where they have made complaints.Research limitations/implicationsThe care workers interviewed may not be representative of the sector and they may have wished to provide socially acceptable answers to the researchers. Practice was not observed. Originality/valueTelevision reports of problems with social care attract wide media interest but we know very little about how care workers respond to depictions of their work and their occupational grouping. This paper links media and expert commentator reactions to television exposes with data acquired from interviews with those on the frontline of care.