A GROUND-breaking helpline to allow people to report abuse in care homes has been labelled a mixed success, after it received just 12 calls.

In October last year, Essex County Council joined forces with Action on Elder Abuse, Southern Cross Healthcare, Rushcliffe Care, Essex Vulnerable Adult Protection Committee, and the Commission for Social Care Inspection in a unique collaboration.

A specialist helpline was launched under the Government's Dignity in Care campaign, to address the fears of people wanting to voice concerns about abuse.

It also provided the opportunity for residents, relatives and staff to report issues of abuse and bad practice.

The helpline was set up in conjunction with 20 care homes throughout the county for six months, with the aim of gathering data to see if a similar scheme could be rolled out nationwide.

Despite only receiving 12 calls during the pilot, Paul Bedwell, development manager for the Essex Safeguarding Adult Board, said it had been a positive experience.

"We didn't know how many calls we were going to get when we set up the helpline," he explained.

"We maybe did expect to receive more, but only 20, rather than 12 - certainly not hundreds.

"I see it as a positive experience though. There has been a lot more training and awareness in those homes taking part as a result of the project.

"The one thing we have found from the calls to the line and from staff in the homes is that they welcome having somewhere they can raise concerns, outside of their management."

Southern Cross, which runs about 800 homes in the UK, has already said it plans to extend the scheme across all of its care homes.

Mr Bedwell said meetings will now take place to evaluate the data from the line, and consider whether a similar scheme could be rolled out nationwide.