A Danish television broadcaster, which recently aired a documentary apparently exposing negligence among care workers, has been criticised for acting unethically during filming. One eldercare worker who featured in the undercover sting programme earlier this month said she was forced to hide in her home to avoid reporters.
TV2 ran the programme which appeared to show carers of Denmark’s Handvaerkerhaven nursing home taking time off from their duties to relax at home and go shopping. One employee caught on film, however, claims she was forced to take refuge in her flat when the undercover reporters following her failed to identify themselves.
FOA, the trade union which represents publically employed care workers, is considering lodging a complaint with the Press Council after the employee alleged in an interview with city officials that she had informed her supervisor of her reasons for returning home. According to FOA president Dennis Kristensen, TV2 had also been made aware of these claims before the programme aired.
In addition, the TV2 reporters were criticised by the union for denying they had a hidden camera when confronted by a care worker. According to the Copenhagen Post, however, media law expert Oluf Jorgensen of the Danish School of Journalism said TV2’s actions can be justified due to the strong public interest in the report.
Although I agree that the whole situation was handled badly by the people who put this show together, care negligence when you are looking after another human being isn’t something that can be ignored.