Croydon (Parliament Politics Magazine) – A Croydon woman fractured her spine using an NHS bed aid after the council cut her overnight care. Watchdog finds Croydon Council failed in its duty.
The decision by Croydon council to stop financing her nighttime care, which resulted in several hospitalizations, was criticized by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
About £3,500 has been compensated by the authority.
The council provided cash for paid overnight care workers until January 2022 for the woman, who uses a wheelchair and depends on carers to meet her needs.
But after reevaluating her circumstances, the authorities determined that the NHS should be in charge of paying for her overnight care.
The NHS consented to test a new turning system for the woman, who was referred to as Miss X in the Ombudsman report, in December 2022.
But she only used it for two nights before suffering a lower back injury that left her in excruciating discomfort.
A scan of Miss X’s lower back performed in January 2023 showed that she had suffered a fracture.
As a direct result of not being turned frequently overnight, the woman reported having serious issues with deep pressure sores in September 2023. In spite of this, the council insisted that the NHS should pay for these expenses and refused to restore money for overnight care.
The woman was admitted to the hospital in November 2023 as a result of difficulties brought on by her neglect. In order to prevent more health issues, a professional meeting in January 2024 determined that she needed to be turned every three to four hours during the night.
After being admitted to the hospital once more in April 2024, she complained to the Ombudsman about the inadequate treatment.
As an employer of a personal assistant, Miss X claimed that the council’s decision rendered it unaffordable for her to pay for care and taxes.
In January 2022, Croydon Council ceased paying for the woman’s nighttime care, arguing that the NHS should pay for these expenses if she were in a nursing home.
In place of paid care workers, the NHS implemented a bed-turning system. But after just two nights of using this technique, the woman hurt her lower back, breaking her spine.
Due to insufficient nightly care, the woman, who is in a wheelchair and depends on caregivers, developed severe health problems, such as deep pressure sores.
As of the most recent reporting period, 98% of Croydon Council’s cases had been effectively executed, demonstrating a high degree of compliance with Ombudsman recommendations.
In order to make sure that care plans are in place for people who owe a duty of care, the council has examined procedures pertaining to section 117 aftercare under the Mental Health Act 1983.
Croydon council responded by telling the Ombudsman that it had begun paying for her nighttime care in August 2024 and intended to collect the money from the NHS.
According to the Ombudsman’s research, the woman was not given proper treatment during the time of ambiguity between the NHS and the municipality.
Ms Amerdeep Somal, from the Ombudsman’s office, said:
“While the council and NHS were deciding who should be responsible for this woman’s care package, she was left without adequate care and support and was hospitalised on multiple occasions.
If there is any question, once an assessment has been completed, of who is responsible for funding a care package, the person in need of support should never feel the impact of this on their health and welfare.
The council should have considered putting in an interim plan while discussions were ongoing with the NHS.”
The council has now formally agreed to cover her care costs, expressed regret, and paid out £1,000 to make up for the hurt and grief she endured.
A symbolic gift of £2,500 will also be made by the council to compensate the woman for the psychological and bodily harm she experienced.
A spokesman for Croydon council said:
“We are very sorry that we didn’t provide our resident with the care and support that she needed and accept the recommendations from the report. We have apologised and compensated them, and we will agree on how she can pay for her care in the future, providing support as needed.”
What actions has Croydon Council taken to address the Ombudsman’s findings?
Residents impacted by poor administration have received compensation and an official apology from the council. In one instance, for instance, the council provided for an occupational therapist’s evaluation, £3,875 in compensation, and the necessary modifications to a resident’s property.
complicated Case Forums were created by Croydon Council to better manage complicated and diverse matters. To provide a consistent and equitable approach, this entails assembling teams and complaints officers.
The council has pledged to review and enhance its housing services in response to criticism on how it handled housing difficulties. This entails making certain that short-term housing is appropriate for homeless families and offering more assistance as required.
To guarantee that Stage 1 responses to complaints fully address all issues brought up by residents, the council has created templates and protocols.