My father in law is 86 and has dementia. He lives in a dementia registered care home. There are coded locks on all doors, and locked or restricted openings on the windows. But on Thursday night the home rang me to say he had been found outside on the dual carriageway. He is now in hospital with a broken hip. I rang Commission for Social Care Inspection to find out which agency conducts an investigation in these circumstances. The answer is that the care home investigate themselves! They are required to send a Reg 37 to CSCI, who will ring the home if there are any queries. And that is it. I can't believe there is not an outside agency involved in what was a potentially life threatening incident. The Health and Safety Executive would be straight there if this were an employment situation. Can anyone with similar experiences advise me? What is the legal position in these cases?
Safety in Care Homes
- Thread starter nortonowner
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Dear Nortonowner,How on earth did your FIL get out of the home?I am sure that when the REG 37 is sent to CSCI they will conduct an investigation.I cannot comment on the legal position,but for someone to be able to leave a secure unit without being noticed is a worry.The home are responsible for their residents and the home is obviously not as secure as it should be.I don't work in a secure unit,which sometimes,having residents with the onsets of AD/Dementia is worrying as we are unable to stop them leaving the home,if that's what they want to do.It has happened several times and all we are permitted to do is inform relatives and the police,we are not allowed to "bring them back",if they do not wish to do so.Stupid regulation if you ask me.I would not like my relative to be out there alone,disorientated.I would not let this one go!He is in a secure unit for a reason and SECURE,it should be.sorry for ranting.love elainex
Sorry about what happen to your father in law also do not know of the What the legal position in these cases if they is any .
I do know of that to have happen in the very first respite my mother was in it was also a secure dementia registered care home [nursing home ] with code number at all door to get in out , with 3 floors
A man got out , because a visiter let him into the lift with him thinking that he also was a visiter so the man follow the Visiter and got out . it happen twice on first occasion police found him at his home brought him back , 2nd occasion they did not find him for 4 days.
next thing I new was that the man was moved .
I do know of that to have happen in the very first respite my mother was in it was also a secure dementia registered care home [nursing home ] with code number at all door to get in out , with 3 floors
A man got out , because a visiter let him into the lift with him thinking that he also was a visiter so the man follow the Visiter and got out . it happen twice on first occasion police found him at his home brought him back , 2nd occasion they did not find him for 4 days.
next thing I new was that the man was moved .
My Sherlock Holmes husband has found that the window restrictor in the dining area is now broken. He closed that same window when we were visiting on Wednesday night, and it wasn't broken then.
This leads us to think Eric may have broken it on Thursday night and climbed out into the garden. He is in very poor shape at the moment, and the hospital have cancelled the op he needs twice already because blood tests show he has suffered a heart attack as well as his broken hip.
On top of all this we have to try to explain where he is to my mother in law, who is at the same care home and also has dementia.
They have not been at this home long. They had to move from the previous home because the owners closed it rather than spend the money CSCI told them was needed to bring it up to an acceptable standard.
Despite our best efforts, we do seem to have been unfortunate in our choice of homes. Third time lucky perhaps?
This leads us to think Eric may have broken it on Thursday night and climbed out into the garden. He is in very poor shape at the moment, and the hospital have cancelled the op he needs twice already because blood tests show he has suffered a heart attack as well as his broken hip.
On top of all this we have to try to explain where he is to my mother in law, who is at the same care home and also has dementia.
They have not been at this home long. They had to move from the previous home because the owners closed it rather than spend the money CSCI told them was needed to bring it up to an acceptable standard.
Despite our best efforts, we do seem to have been unfortunate in our choice of homes. Third time lucky perhaps?
Dear Nortonowner,This is such a case whereby the reg 37 to csci will intervene.How on earth do they have a secure unit,with windows being so easy to break?I know for fire purposes there has to be an exit,but my word this is unreal.I would have serious words to say if i were you.okay breaking a window restriction,not okay being able to break a window restriction in a secure unit.mmmmmmmmmmmmmm I have my doubts on this one.love elainex
Hello, I am sorry about what has happened to your FIL I can see how upsetting this would be to you all. Things like this should never happen dementia secure places should be just that, as some folks are so determined to leave. Your poor MIL also, I hope everything goes well for you all. Sorry about the legal side I have no knowledge there just wanted to lend my support. Regards Taffy.
CSCI Regulation 37
http://www.csci.org.uk/professional...ices/guidance/notification_regulation_37.aspx
According to this, it doesn`t seem that the care home should investigate itself in the circumstances described.
There are other circumstances where it would seem quite in order for a care home to investigate itself, but someone being able to leave a secure unit because of inadequate maintainance, I feel, should merit a formal investigation.
http://www.csci.org.uk/professional...ices/guidance/notification_regulation_37.aspx
According to this, it doesn`t seem that the care home should investigate itself in the circumstances described.
There are other circumstances where it would seem quite in order for a care home to investigate itself, but someone being able to leave a secure unit because of inadequate maintainance, I feel, should merit a formal investigation.
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Thanks for all your support, and to Sylvia for the link. It hadn't dawned on me yet to check out Reg 37, so I'm really grateful for the prompt.
Just write/email your concerns to the local SCSI office and they will investigate your concerns about the home; or they should
Also the garden and all the perimeter of the care home should have appropriate safeguards from residents leaving with out the knowledge of the staff.
Also the garden and all the perimeter of the care home should have appropriate safeguards from residents leaving with out the knowledge of the staff.
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