Many questions about Mum's case, so here's a thread on what went wrong. We might all need these services someday so this case needs a proper investigation to ensure safety.
#publicservices
need
#reform
. People need protecting.
#carecrisis
#remembertrisha
#NHS
#CQC
1/20
🧵👇
I'm sharing the story of my search for answers after
#adultsocialcare
let my mum down. If you can spare a few minutes please take a look at the video I made
Happy 66th Birthday to one of my favourites. Without doubt one if not 'the' greatest female UK singer songwriter of all time, Catherine - Kate Bush CBE.
Born
#OnThisDay
1958 in Bexleyheath Kent.
#KateBush
#80s
We had incidents where mum fell out of bed, a gas leak was caused, and the property was left unsecured with people walking in. Crucially, medication for the ongoing UTI was often not given as prescribed, if at all. Carers often had no time to give food or provide toileting 6/20
Records show the agency was tasked with investigating themselves; the enquiry was closed before they contacted me asking for confirmation. The concerns raised were not investigated, and conflicting outcomes were given. I was told if I was not happy to go to the Ombudsman 12/20
It isn't just about Mum. It's a broken system needing real change. Understanding issues, not just funding, is key. Councils ignore complaints, LGSCO fails to investigate, voices go unheard, people die. This must stop! Share to demand a proper investigation
#remembertrisha
20/20
Mum became withdrawn. Concerns still ignored. 4wks on and a note said she wasn't eating. No access to care logs and agency not returning calls, I asked carers, who said they'd been reporting her being off food since the A&E visit. I call the GP. Mum ended up in hospital. 8/20
Trisha, my mum, was a nurse and carer. She had a stroke which meant she couldn't walk. Initially, she 'failed' a flawed capacity assessment and was placed in a care home; after five months, she was then allowed home with a council-commissioned home care agency. 2/20
Where poor quality care agencies are allowed to continue, like this one, care workers also suffer. Mums were treated very badly. Lack of training, no travel time, no respect from management, no care plan for clients, some even open about 'lack of background checks'. 19/20
We complained about the assessment and repeatedly when care went wrong. The care agency and council ignored us. We were told the only way to change agencies was through Direct Payments. Mum applied and sourced another agency, but the council never processed the application. 4/20
Home care was a disaster. No care plan, medication errors, security issues. Mum relied on carers for all personal care but soon got urinary tract infections, cystitis, MASD and pressure sores. Morning calls were never on time, leaving her in wet sheets, causing urine burns. 3/20
I took the case to my MP, who passed it to his ministerial colleagues for review. Here's hoping the new MP will make some progress. Despite the problems and enforcement warnings, the council has renewed the contract. Public money is spent on subpar services that cause harm. 16/20
The hospital put Mum on IV antibiotics. No other tests were done. Despite the active safeguarding enquiry, she was unexpectedly discharged home to the same care agency. She was still confused and no better. Three days later, Mum was readmitted as an emergency. 10/20
Mum became unresponsive. This time, scans was done and it revealed a kidney blockage, but she was too weak for treatment. She passed away of a kidney condition linked to the ongoing UTI and with an active safeguarding enquiry, but this still triggered no action. 11/20
The care agency and lack of oversight by the council and
#CQC
is dangerous. Not only did poor practices cause harm, but mismanagement of medication was akin to leaving conditions untreated. Those infections turned serious, were recorded and ignored and left to become fatal. 17/20
Every public service body and care agency FAILED. They FAILED in their statutory duty. FAILED to acknowledge what was in front of them. The question isn't funding; it's issues of competence, transparency, and waste within public service. Most of all, they all FAIL clients 18/20
The council uses a Prime Provider, where a single provider delivers all care in an area. This agency was created when the contract was first awarded. It's never made it beyond a 'requires improvement'
#CQC
rating. Recently, focused inspections led to enforcement warnings. 15/20
Mum then ended up in A&E. When the doctor asked about underlying issues, I mentioned the UTIs and poor care. I asked if they could test for kidney-related problems. He laughed, then sent her home without any diagnosis or follow-up. 7/20
I then raised a complaint with the LGSCO and NHS. LGSCO said it was premature and passed it back to the council to respond, the council acknowledged failure to process a Direct Payment, and failed to acknowledge any of the other issues raised. I returned to the LGSCO. 13/20
Mum had dehydration, suspected urosepsis, and was recorded as lacking capacity. Despite being there daily, no one would discuss her case. She wasn't improving. I told her social worker Mum couldn't return to that care agency. They recommended a safeguarding referral. 9/20
Social worker told the agency to broker out the package, but they never did. Stress continued for 2 years. The agency switched to electronic care logs without giving access, making it impossible to verify care visits. Council kept blocking requests to move to new agency 5/20
LGSCO's investigation was a failure from beginning to end. The investigator didn't confirm the details, did not fully investigate, made errors, concentrated on already resolved items, didn't view the evidence available. There's an outstanding review request and complaint 14/20
The Robinsons vs the electricity board.
A Not the Nine O’clock News That’s Life parody moment.
I still say “I’m sorry that’s nothing to do with us” in conversations today 😆
It's the 4th anniversary of mum's death linked to the council's inadequate care provider, and I'm still seeking resolution. The failures persist. What will it take? How many more will die before action is taken?
#socialcare
#safeguarding
@HealthwatchLinc
@Lincolnshiresab
@Hazelgrove_5
@GMB
@LGOmbudsman
Absolutely, could not agree more.
@LGOmbudsman
and local authorities also have a lot to answer. I lost my mum to a preventable death at the hands of both inadequate care and council.
Work continues at the Uffington White Horse this week. As well as restoring the Horse to its original shape, we are taking samples of soil to more precisely date it.
While we wait for the results, discover the fascinating history of White Horse here
Loving this! Art Deco is my favourite, perfectly capturing the glamour and modernity of the early 20th century. Timeless and stylish! 😍😍😍
#ArtDeco
#Architecture
#Design
Does anyone else find the idea of devolution of powers to local councils terrifying? Given mine were instrumental in the death of my mother (case ongoing), I wouldn't trust them to put an accurate stationery order in. More power and less oversight feel like a backwards move to
How about this from the DWP? They invite a disabled person to an event for disabled people organised by ‘disability advisers’ in a building that is not accessible…