Couple split up against family's wishes amid care home move

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman said the council had "lost sight of the real people behind its busy caseload"

A council had "little regard" for an elderly couple's "basic human rights" when they were split up against their family's wishes, a report found.

The couple, who had been married for 59 years, were separated when the wife was discharged into a care home following hospital treatment.

The husband was left in the family home with carers but died weeks later.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead offered its "sincere apologies" following the failures.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman said the council "did not do enough" to consider the man's feelings and caused "significant and undue distress and risk of harm".

Its report found the authority did not look at whether the couple could stay at home with live-in carers in early 2018.

'Terrible consequences'

It then made "inadequate efforts" to allow the husband to see his wife at the care home. He died at home in May 2018.

The wife was permanently moved into the care home without the right checks being made, the report added. She has since died.

Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman Michael King said: "This case is a prime example of the council losing sight of the real people behind its busy caseload. It appears there was little regard paid to the couple's dignity or basic human rights, with terrible consequences for the family.

"People must be treated with the respect and care they deserve, no matter the pressures councils are working under."

Hilary Hall, director of Adult Services at the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead, said: "I know that we failed on this occasion and whilst we have revised our practices and processes, I regret it will not change what happened which was unacceptable."