Northamptonshire care home resident 'left in soiled sheets'

Northamptonshire County Council said it accepted the Local Government Ombudsman report

Social workers did not do enough to ensure the care of a vulnerable man in a residential home, an ombudsman says.

Northamptonshire County Council failed to swiftly act on a daughter's concerns that the home was failing to meet her father's medical needs.

The daughter complained that her father's sheets were soiled and staff did not treat a skin infection with a cream as required.

The council said it accepted the Local Government Ombudsman report.

It apologised for its failings.

The report says that 18 months after the man first moved to the home, his daughter raised concerns about his care.

'Poor quality care'

She was worried staff were not ensuring he took his medication at the correct time and were leaving him with soiled sheets or no sheets at all and without a TV remote control for four days.

At the same time, she asked the council to review her father's care needs.

A protection plan was drawn up but the council failed to check the home was implementing it.

The report also says the council did not do enough to ensure his care bills were going to the correct address, which meant by the time he received them, a large invoice had built up.

The council has agreed to pay the daughter £250 for the trouble in bringing the complaint and the father £350 for the distress.

It has also agreed to review its invoice collection procedures.

Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, Michael King, said: "Councils cannot contract out responsibility for care when they contract out the provision: poor quality care by a council-funded provider is poor quality care by the council itself."

A spokesperson for the council said: "We are continuing to work with providers to ensure our safeguarding and protection plans are effectively implemented when concerns are raised."