Nursing Home Neglect

ThomasK

Registered User
Jan 17, 2013
9
0
London
I just wanted to ask if anyone has had any experience of dealing with Safeguarding, my mother died in a nursing home just over ten weeks after a fall which had gone unreported by the home, she had late stage Alzheimer's. She endured five weeks with an undiagnosed hip fracture before being taken to the hospital, as a consequence she stopped eating and passed away six weeks after surgery. Since requesting information from various parties I have been ignored, misinformed, lied to and received abusive correspondence from the Nursing Home manager, all of which has only reinforced my intention to not let the matter rest until it has been fully investigated with honesty and integrity.

It's very difficult to find anything written on the internet indicating how other people have faired whilst attending Safeguarding review panels, but I would be interested to know of any experiences?
 
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jan1962

Registered User
May 19, 2012
717
0
bedlington northumberland
Hi there and Welcome to TP,

so sorry to hear of your loss. i can only imagine what pain and anger you are feeling at this time.

i have not had any experience of this but could not let your post go without saying that you will find plenty of support and advice on this forum.

keep posting so that we can assist in any way we can.

jan1962
 

Pheath

Registered User
Dec 31, 2009
1,094
0
UK
Dear Thomas
This is quite appalling and wish i could help but have no experience of Safeguarding Panels either. I do hope someone comes along soon that can be of more assistance. Can completely understand your striving to get to the bottom of things and fight for justice on behalf of your mum. Any caring relative would be exactly the same. Are the Care Quality Commission aware? I know they deal with all concerns & complaints about care/ nursing homes. Truly wishing you much good luck.
 

ThomasK

Registered User
Jan 17, 2013
9
0
London
The CQC have been informed and were invited to attend the review but did not turn up. The review document had substaintiated neglect but during the review meeting it became unsubstantiated as the wrong GP attended (not the one who had been called to see my mum on the morning of her fall). In brief as her family we were never told she had fallen and neither were the GP's, just that she had woken up with a sore leg and was unable to weight bear. Notes from the home had been tampered with, constant references to her pain from the nursing home staff had been recorded but not acted upon. When she finally got to the hospital they said her fracture was about four weeks old. My MP is now looking into it, the review isn't over yet, but I think Safeguarding may well try and stick to an unsubstantiated verdict if they can, because it's easier for them. Apart from what happended to my mum, the biggest dissapointment for me is that the people that should want to understand what went on in that Nursing home, ie Safeguarding Adults appear so unbothered. I feel they make it as difficult as possible for you to progress your allegation. When you have Dementia you have no voice, my mum didn't, I do but at the moment it feels like I am talking to myself. But I'll never let it drop until they substantiate neglect again.
 
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oldsoulchild

Registered User
Apr 16, 2008
54
0
hi
so sorry to read what happened. i have recently lost my mam and thats hard enough without all of what you have gone through being added to it.
i was going to suggest the quality commision but they also seem to have let you down. is there an ombudsman? i think if i were in your shoes id be going to my local councillor. i hope you get the answers you need xx
 

jan.s

Registered User
Sep 20, 2011
7,353
0
72
I am so sorry to hear about your mum.

Safeguarding is a department within Social Services at the county council. That is certainly where i would start and seek advice from them.

At my husband's last review meeting there was a Safeguarding SW present to support some of the issues.

If the CH is owned by a company, i would contact the management there - they don't like bad publicity.

I would also put the concerns in writing to CQC. They are unlikely to get involved in individual cases, but they do record information to inform them on their next visit. It feels like they take no notice, but i think they do, but can't pass on comments!

If all else fails, the local press.

Good luck
 

stevew

Registered User
Oct 30, 2010
147
0
CORNWAL
Safeguarding

Unfortunately, with power of attorney, I have had alot of experience with this. My MIL had a fall at a CH, sustaining a fracture to her wrist and severe bruising. I was able to take a photo of such injuries. I wrote and made formal complaints to the home, social services, CQC and the local authority. It took safeguarding over one year to start an investigation. It was found the home was neglegent. The safeguarding team did apologise for such delay. There was incorrect reporting in the care plans also. I contacted the care homes insurance company, who initially would not accept liability. I saw a solicitor on a no win no fee basis and eventually won compensation for my MIL. Unfortunately you have to complain to everyone and eventually in my case we won. The results were not helpful to my MIL due to dementia of severe degree but I hope the compensation will bring her some comfort. Present at the panel were members of all departments including the care home manager. Notes are taken and you must ask for copies of such notes for each meeting to assist you. The meeting was held at a local SS office were we all sat around the table. There is a chairman, tea was always offered and I had every opportunity to say what I wanted to. It may be helpful to have a friend / relative to go with you for support. My best wishes.
 
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ThomasK

Registered User
Jan 17, 2013
9
0
London
Yes my review panel met just last month, but the experience wasn't a pleasant one the Nursing Home Manager turned up mob handed, six of them arrived, but only three were allowed into the meeting, one of which was a corporate manager acting on behalf of the company that own the home. He was a most unpleasant character. They really never answered much at all when I look back, there was a lot of shouting on their part, it was all deflection tactics that effectively shut down the meeting. I'll never really know what happended to my mum as so many lies seem to have been told, but they covered up her fall for almost a year, and that's factual, so either she fell where she should not have been or they already had a similiar charge of neglect against them and wanted to cover this one up. The fight goes on!
 

jan1962

Registered User
May 19, 2012
717
0
bedlington northumberland
Yes my review panel met just last month, but the experience wasn't a pleasant one the Nursing Home Manager turned up mob handed, six of them arrived, but only three were allowed into the meeting, one of which was a corporate manager acting on behalf of the company that own the home. He was a most unpleasant character. They really never answered much at all when I look back, there was a lot of shouting on their part, it was all deflection tactics that effectively shut down the meeting. I'll never really know what happended to my mum as so many lies seem to have been told, but they covered up her fall for almost a year, and that's factual, so either she fell where she should not have been or they already had a similiar charge of neglect against them and wanted to cover this one up. The fight goes on!

hi there,

i have read this with my heart in my mouth and my anger is right up there. you can not let people like these get away with this. they will lie through their back teeth and as you have said attend mob handed. they are nothing less than corporate bullies only interested in the balance sheets and not he people whos money they are taking.

i would shout harder louder and longer an ensure that everyone heard. to me it is time to call in the legal people and ask them what they think. as you have said they could possibly trying to cover up what happened as they have another case pending.

you are right in what you are doing not only for yourself but for your mothers memory they deserve to be punished.

you have the support of all your new friends on TP, keep posting so that we can continue to off this support to you.


jan1926
 

may39

Registered User
Dec 10, 2012
8
0
Hi sorry for yr loss firstly. Just going through something similar with my father. He had a fall in his carehome , broke his hip , spent eight weeks in hospital , had four operations and also stopped eating before dying too. The carehome ( which we were in the process of moving him from ) did not implement safeguarding. We are suspicious of the care that they were meant to give and have taken the case to a solicitor on a no win no fee basis. This means we will at least get to the bottom of things. Unfortunately the only thing some of these companies care about is money so u have to hit them were it hurts. It wont bring my dad back but it might stop it happening to someone else in the future.
 

ThomasK

Registered User
Jan 17, 2013
9
0
London
Thanks, it's difficult and you're right money is all they care about. But I want Safeguarding to do what they should do and substantiate neglect, they did in the review document but undid it at the meeting itself, because of the GP's non attendance, the home managed to say he always knew mum my had fallen when his given statements to the investigation team say he didn't. I took the step over christmas of writing to the GP and now he wants to meet me on Thursday. I have informed Safeguarding a week ago but they haven't got back to me. I worry about going on my own to meet the two GP's as much as I want to as how will I prove what was said, I already believe that they have let me down as the main GP did not attend the review, and the other one came late, without his notes as he said they were 'in a box somewhere' and he had not read the review document. It's turns out that as of last Monday neither of them had read the review, it's all a bit shocking that on this basis my mum's five weeks of suffering has gone unrecognised as serious!! Despite her arriving at hospital with a shortened rotated right leg and a fractured neck of femur which may have become displaced on the journey to the hospital via the homes private mini bus. Not only am I very upset with the home but this year long battle with Safeguarding has been too much, who is on the side of the Dementia patient?
 

Pheath

Registered User
Dec 31, 2009
1,094
0
UK
Thomas – just wondered could you find an advocate to take with you to any meetings? They can be quite intimidating to attend on your own. My dementia support worker acts as one for others and I know attends CH meetings routinely (you should have a local Alzheimers Society branch that could advise). I think Mind also offers this service. Your sense of outrage at what’s happened is bound to be strong - the less we’re heard, the louder we want to shout!
 

NeverGiveUp

Registered User
May 17, 2011
1,034
0
Take someone independant, an advocate is a good idea. Ideally not an advocate whose organisation whose services are commissioned by the nhs, I think it is nice to feel that there isn't likely to be bias.

The whole situation of officialdom and dementia is a disgrace, interestingly they come down on the family like a tonne of bricks when there is any allegation - even provably false/malicious ones!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Just thinking

Registered User
May 7, 2008
151
0
North west
Oh dear, this poor lady must have been in agony for weeks. She should never have been transported in a mini-bus, the CH should have called an ambulance so that's neglect in itself and one you can prove. How can these people justify their actions both then and now. Thomas, don't give up on this. Only recently there HAVE been other cases which have been proved, publicised and the perpetrators sent to prison so there IS justice out there! I agree with above about taking someone with you, preferably a lawyer. Don't let them win with their bullying, delaying tactics because that's exactly what they're hoping for. Involve the media if necessary. Send a HUGE message that this treatment of dementia sufferers is utterly unacceptable and you're prepared for the fight. I wish you luck and please keep us informed as to the outcome.
 

ThomasK

Registered User
Jan 17, 2013
9
0
London
Oh dear, this poor lady must have been in agony for weeks. She should never have been transported in a mini-bus, the CH should have called an ambulance so that's neglect in itself and one you can prove. How can these people justify their actions both then and now. Thomas, don't give up on this. Only recently there HAVE been other cases which have been proved, publicised and the perpetrators sent to prison so there IS justice out there! I agree with above about taking someone with you, preferably a lawyer. Don't let them win with their bullying, delaying tactics because that's exactly what they're hoping for. Involve the media if necessary. Send a HUGE message that this treatment of dementia sufferers is utterly unacceptable and you're prepared for the fight. I wish you luck and please keep us informed as to the outcome.

Thanks to everyone who has replied to me, I will keep you all posted.
 

jan1962

Registered User
May 19, 2012
717
0
bedlington northumberland
Hi Thomas,

keep going in your mums name, the powers that be will be hoping that you will give up if it drags on. they will try and confuse you with legal terminology. take an advocate with you. keep going and tell them that you are prepaired to go to the media with your story.

please do not let them get away with it.

jan1962
 
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ThomasK

Registered User
Jan 17, 2013
9
0
London
Hi Thomas,

keep going in your mums name, the powers that be will be hoping that you will give up if it drags on. they will try and confuse you with legal terminology. take an advocate with you. keep going and tell them that you are prepaired to go to the media with your story.

please do not let them get away with it.

jan1962

I am trying my best, it's been a bit depressing to say the least especially since finding out that my mum had fallen which was kept from us and that she had been in so much pain also kept from us. The home's assistant manger also lied point blank to my face at the review. I won't give up up. That's what they want.
 

xLaurenCee

Registered User
Apr 4, 2013
4
0
29
United Kingdom
I just wanted to ask if anyone has had any experience of dealing with Safeguarding, my mother died in a nursing home just over ten weeks after a fall which had gone unreported by the home, she had late stage Alzheimer's. She endured five weeks with an undiagnosed hip fracture before being taken to the hospital, as a consequence she stopped eating and passed away six weeks after surgery. Since requesting information from various parties I have been ignored, misinformed, lied to and received abusive correspondence from the Nursing Home manager, all of which has only reinforced my intention to not let the matter rest until it has been fully investigated with honesty and integrity.

It's very difficult to find anything written on the internet indicating how other people have faired whilst attending Safeguarding review panels, but I would be interested to know of any experiences?

Hi Thomas, my name's Lauren. I read your post, and just had to reply, I'm 17 and I currently have a full time Job at a Care Home. I also have a similar story to you, as your Mother died in a Care home (my deep apologies), well, my Nana also had a fall in another Care Home which we had put her into respite for the weekend as me and my Family were on Holiday, we came back and got told she'd had a fall as-well; a few weeks after, she passed away... but anyway, back on the Subject, I deal with Resident's with Dementia, Autism; Alzheimer's which is basically a later stage of Dementia. Now, the answer to your Question. Yes, I've had experience with Safeguarding, my Mother currently rang them, and spoke to them. I've also done Training's about Safeguarding, it's a very strong procedure to go through, but they WILL do something about it, state the details, the name of the Home, etc, they will look into it right away, no matter how long ago it was, Care Home's who do treat Resident's like that need shutting down and all of the Staff sacked.. I hope my information was helpful.
 

Genesis

Registered User
Jul 27, 2012
68
0
Caton, nearLancaster
There is a document explaining safeguarding of vulnerable adults and the procedures which should be taken. I think it's listed under the Office of the Public Guardian or you could try googling 'safeguarding vulnerable adults'. You might find some useful information contained in this. I so hope it's helpful. Thinking of you.

Genesis xx