Care home reprimanded after family was too late to say goodbye to dying mum

A care home in Greater Manchester has been reprimanded by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, for failing to tell a family in time that their mum was dying, leaving them unable to say goodbye.

Back in 2016, the family from Tameside told the Ombudsman that Oakwood Care Centre neither told them about their mother’s rapid deterioration when she became unwell, nor sought medical advice about her condition until a few hours before she died.

The family were told by police rather than the home that their mother had died.

The home is now under new management.

The Ombudsman’s report found faults with the way the woman was cared for at the time of her death.This included vital records going missing and care staff moving her downstairs shortly before her death – meaning she died in a wheelchair rather than in her own bed.

Michael King, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, said: “This report highlights to care homes the importance of having well thought out procedures for communicating with families about very ill relatives, and the need to seek timely medical advice, regardless of whether instructions are in place not to resuscitate.

“I would also like to remind care providers of the crucial need to maintain proper, detailed and legible records of their care for residents throughout their stay.”

Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council, which placed the mother in the home, was also criticised for the way it initially dealt with the family’s safeguarding concerns when they were raised, and the first investigation it carried out following the family’s complaints.

Mr King added: “Despite the problems we found with both the council and care provider, I am pleased with the mature way they have responded to our investigation, and the recommendations we have made.”

The council has agreed to pay the daughter £1,000 in recognition of the distress she and her family suffered due to their lost opportunity to say goodbye to her mother. It will pay a further £300 for the additional distress caused by the poor response to the family’s initial complaint, and £200 for failing to maintain full records of these events, which has prevented the family from receiving a full response to their complaints.

The Ombudsman has the power to make recommendations to improve a council’s processes for the wider public. Consequently the council is introducing a revised Safeguarding Adults Policy, and will provide updated training to relevant staff, as well as refreshing staff's understanding of how to handle safeguarding concerns.

The council will also share with care staff the Care Quality Commission (CQC) guidance on seeking medical advice.

As part of future contracts for care it commissions, the council will ask care homes to agree with residents’ families the level of notification they would like about changes in their condition, and record this in the resident’s care plan.

Oakwood Care Centre has also changed the way it does things, including introducing a new ‘Unexpected Death Policy and Procedure’ and new care plans, which clearly indicate whether resuscitation should be attempted. The manager and deputy manager are now ‘safeguarding adult’ managers and it will shortly review its process for notifying families of changes in the health of relatives.