CCTV/Surveillance in Care Homes - IMPORTANT INFORMATION

South Gloucestershire Council would like to advise that it does not support the use of CCTV, other than within communal areas and as such a care home is responsible for ensuring that any use of surveillance is legal, its usage is within the rules of GDPR, and it is used in a way that protects people’s privacy and human rights. ‘People’ refers to individuals living in a care home, the care home staff that support them, any family or friends and any professionals that may be visiting (GP/DN/Social Workers etc) who would be expecting to be able to have confidential conversations.

The Care Quality Commission have guidance around the use of surveillance which is available at Using surveillance in your care service - Care Quality Commission (cqc.org.uk).

Care homes should consider updating any policy they have in place about surveillance or creating such a policy if one is not already available. Should you receive a request to install/become aware of surveillance being used please advise the Council. Each instance will be looked at on a case-by-case basis to determine whether surveillance is needed and whether other options or assistive technology should be considered instead.

Please contact the care home team at SGCcarehomecommunication@southglos.gov.uk if you have any queries about updating/creating a surveillance policy.

Thank you for your kind attention in this matter.