HIDDEN EFFECT OF POSTAL STRIKE

12.00.00am GMT Sun 11th Nov 2007

Exeter's Liberal Democrat PPC Graham Oakes has called on the Criminal Records Bureau to change the way it deals with applications for police checks following problems caused by the recent postal strike.

"New staff waiting to work in Care homes are unable to start as their CRB checks have got lost in the post. Some people have waited over 4 weeks for their Protection Of Vulnerable Adults check, a process that normally 4 days."

"This is putting pressure on Care homes as they are forced to use expensive Agency staff whilst waiting for the CRBs to return"

"Home owners have had to find the money to pay staff for the extra 4 days annual leave which became law from October 1st and now they are facing further costs."

Graham has called on the Criminal Records Bureau to allow direct applications using electronic forms.

"At present the CRB will only process paper applications which in 2007 is plain daft. By allowing identified staff to witness the signature of applicants, as they already do for the passport, etc, then we could move to an electronic form which would make things far quicker."