Undercover Boss

HC-One (4x5)

Air date: Jul 30, 2012

Pam Finnis, managing director of one of Britain's biggest care home firms, goes undercover to investigate standards of care. The private care home industry has been plagued with problems. In 2011, scandal-hit Southern Cross - then Britain's biggest care home operator - collapsed under £50 million of debt. HC-One stepped in and took over a third of the homes. They now care for more than 10,000 people across 241 UK care homes, and the woman in charge of the day-to-day running of the company is Pam. Ex-nurse Pam finds going back to the floor tougher than she imagined. She discovers one home is in need of urgent refurbishment; she breaks down when she hears how her staff struggle to survive on their low wages; and she's upset to discover overstretched night shift staff unable to respond immediately to residents' calls for help. But Pam's also inspired by dedicated employees, some of whom choose to work on their days off in order to spend more time with residents.