HUNDREDS of vulnerable people are being restricted to 15-minute time limits from at-home care callers in Worcestershire - sparking anger pensioners are treated "like cattle".

At the moment 348 people who qualify for home visits are having it restricted to a 15-minute maximum, despite growing concern it is failing the elderly.

The findings have alarmed campaigners and a health watchdog, which says the tactic should be scrapped.

The county council aims to keep people out of residential and nursing care by having homecare workers visit vulnerable people to help with tasks like washing, medication, dressing, cleaning and welfare checks.

The work is contracted to outside providers, but council bosses have stipulated in some cases the helpers should leave within 15-minutes before dashing to the next job.

County Hall's opposition Labour group has called for it to be abandoned, while Unison says its own investigations have found seven out of 10 councils doing the same thing despite serious concerns.

Campaigner Brian Hunt, 78, chairman of Worcestershire's Pensioners Action Group, said: "We definitely oppose the 15-minute time limit but it's all linked to money.

"We know they have these limits in place but nobody can tell me they have any idea if it's enough - we are deeply concerned."

Peter Pinfield, from the watchdog Healthwatch, said: "We've been concerned, both locally and nationally that 15 minutes just doesn't give you that quality time you need.

"The CQC (Care Quality Commission) has been very critical about it, and we'd like it done away with."

County Hall's Labour group has called for the time limits to be suspended immediately today pending an investigation.

Councillor Peter McDonald, group leader, said: "It's heart breaking and distressing that many elderly and disabled people are not being cared for in a humane and dignified manner - they are being treated like cattle.

"It is time for Worcestershire County Council to review homecare and put the care of people first, and the cost second."

Bosses at the authority say more than 2,300 people, including disabled adults get at-home visits, which cost taxpayers £14.3 million last year.

The council says the more intense care visits do not have the strict 15-minute stipulations, and has rejected claims its policy goes against guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

A council spokesman said: "The council continues to make 15-minute home care calls for those residents who do not need personal care but require support such as medication checks and checking on their welfare.

"This is consistent with the guidance published by NICE in 2015.

"It's the policy of the council that all personal care visits last for at least 30 minutes.

"Whenever we are informed a person's needs have changed we arrange for a review of the care plan to make sure it's still right for them."

It says the 348 people on the time limits include some under-65s with disabilities as well as pensioners.

The 15-minute restrictions come at a time when demographic pressures continue to worsen, with the current spending on adult care due to top £132 million for 2016/17 - 41 per cent of the entire budget.

* Are you getting 15-minute restrictions on council funded homecare? Call 01905 742248.

EVEN THE WORKERS THINK THEY ARE TOO RUSHED, SAYS UNISON

UNISON has produced its own report revealing how 74 per cent of councils have admitted to still having the restrictions across the UK, calling it "heartbreaking" for many old people.

It also did an online survey which 2,210 homecare workers responded to, where 85 per cent said they didn't even have time for a conversation during their visits.

More alarmingly, 74 per cent of homecare workers believed they did 'not have enough time to provide dignified care' under the limits.

Some 32 per cent said they had no time to address people's personal hygiene needs such as washing, 24 per cent left without time to take them to the toilet and 49 per cent said they couldn't prepare a meal or address any changes in their health.

Typical service users suffer from problems like dementia, mobility problems, strokes, Parkinson's and often multiple conditions in order to qualify for homecare.

The union is now calling on all the local authorities, including Worcestershire County Council, to pull the plug on commissioning any more work with the 15-minute restrictions.

Dave Prentis, from Unison, said: "Rushed 15-minute homecare visits should have no place in a modern, caring society."