Norfolk care home: Review into elderly woman's death

A violent elderly man at a care home "viciously" assaulted a female resident with dementia, a review into her death has found.

The Norfolk Safeguarding Adults Board review questioned whether the Norfolk care home had the ability to safely manage the violent man, known as Mr Z.

He attacked the woman a number of times in 2017 before she died.

The review found the unnamed home had "significant difficulties" providing residents with "adequate care".

It said Mr Z pushed the woman to the ground in December 2017. She suffered a broken hip and a head injury.

'Violence towards residents'

The woman, who had been assaulted three times before by Mr Z, died in January.

Her family in a letter to the inquiry said: "Our mother was physically fit and health on 18 December... singing, humming, laughing, chatting and dancing, and coming to the cafe with us for tea and cakes.

"On 19 December she was viciously attacked, knocked to the ground and never recovered from her surgery."

The review said Mr Z had punched residents in the head and face on at least nine other occasions and had also been violent to staff.

Mr Z was detained under the Mental Health Act.

The review said "severe incidents of violence towards residents" were reported to the "local authority safeguarding team" but the frequency of the attacks "did not seem to be understood".

The board also looked into the death of a male resident of the home with dementia and serious mental health issues.

He died in November 2017 after living at the care home for about 10 days.

The review made 21 recommendations including calling for improvements in the management and procedures at the care home.