Knesset moves to ok closed-circuit cameras in nursing homes
Despite objections raised by Health Minister Litzman, Knesset passes a preliminary reading of the bill aimed at preventing abuse by nursing staff in wake of shocking videos that rocked the country.
A bill aiming to approve the installation of closed-circuit cameras in nursing homes recently passed a preliminary reading in the Knesset. The proposed bill came following the circulation of several secretly recorded videos that rocked the country showing seniors being physically abused by nursing staff.
The legislation, which is a collaborative effort between the opposition and the coalition, was initiated and promoted by MKs Itzik Shmuli (the Zionist Union), Yoav Kish (Likud), Shuli Mualem Rafaeli (Bayit Yehudi) and Robert Ilatov (Yisrael Beytenu).
Twenty-five MKs voted in favor with no opposition, even though Health Minister Yaakov Litzman (United Torah Judaism) objected to the legislation in the ministerial committee. As part of the law, which is meant to abolish the phenomenon of abuse toward elderly people in nursing homes, every nursing institution will be obligated to install cameras and monitor the goings on 24/7.
"In a large number of nursing homes, where severe flaws were detected, the Ministry of Health's monitoring was unable to locate the cases of neglect and abuse, which is serious in light of the fact that such events were relatively widespread," the bill stated.
