Murdered for Medication
I saw this story on the Guardian website and was amazed that it was the first I heard of it.
Rachel Baker, the manager of Parkfields Nursing Home is on trial accused of murdering two women who were in her charge, and stealing their prescription medication that she was addicted to.
Baker, 44, who ran the Parkfields care home in Butleigh near Glastonbury, Somerset, became addicted to drugs, including heroin, after being prescribed painkillers for migraines. She allegedly fed her addiction by “diverting” drugs prescribed for residents at the care home. She either stole the drugs from residents who needed them or exaggerated or made up symptoms so that drugs the elderly people did not really need were prescribed.
Baker has admitted eight charges of possessing controlled drugs and one of intending to pervert the course of justice. She denies the murders.
Just imagine the coverage if the victims had been 5 and 7 years old rather than 85 and 97 years old and that, I think, tells us all we need to know about society’s ageism.
Posted on January 26, 2010, in elderly, long-term care, medication, old age, personal, social care, work and tagged ageism, care home, crime against elderly, murder, murdered, overdose, rachel baker, residential care. Bookmark the permalink. 6 Comments.
I’m sorry to say it’s not so much Ageism, but more to do with society becoming less caring. New labour have called the poor scroungers, they kept on and on until people said yes why should we look after somebody with no legs, or somebody who is sick, or the elderly.
New labour and Thatcher believed we did not have a society, now we have to live with it.
It also shows how these nursing homes are not controlled or checked
blimey! I bet it would have been big news if it had been a teenager who had been stealing the drugs too – the media loves to focus on young people whether good or bad
I’m still inclined to think there is a little ageism in the approach.. but I agree it shows up the inspection process for what it is.
And good to ‘see’ you Chuckle!
And Dr Jane Barton has got off again with administering lethal doses of diamorphine to patients who don’t require it;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/8486936.stm
I’m sure it had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that her brother is Professor Christopher Bulstrode and is on the GMC..
It says a lot about the society we live when murder alone doesn’t guarantee coverage. There has to be a particular angle or sensationalism to it
Having read this story I suspect they will use the excuse of the drug addiction to say the accussed made mistakes and it was accidental, rather than just a nasty piece of work how cared very little for others sufferings,Robert is quite right if this had not been old people affected it would be highlighted everyday rather than low key.