Sussex pensioner's death sparks care review
- Published
Police say there was insufficient evidence to press charges after a 94-year-old woman died from several injuries
The death of a 94-year-old woman has prompted a number of changes to the way support staff raise concerns over the coercive behaviour of family members.
An East Sussex Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB) review found the pensioner died from natural causes in 2017.
However, she had suffered 26 unexplained injuries during the time she spent living with her granddaughter and son.
Police said there was no evidence to justify criminal proceedings.
The woman had suffered injuries including a fractured nose and jaw as well as bruising to her face, arms and legs.
She was diagnosed with sepsis and pneumonia and died eight days later in September.
'Physical abuse'
Her family had been providing most of her day-to-day care but with support from privately arranged care workers and community nurses.
Following her death, the SAB commissioned a Safeguarding Adults Review.
The review found the woman had spoken to staff about being treated in a way that amounted to physical abuse including being denied food and drink, and only allowed to use the toilet at certain times.
Professionals had raised and recorded concerns but had only ever spoken to the woman concerned when she was with family members. She insisted she was being cared for properly.
The review recommended professionals should be more robust in challenging family members.
The way in which private care providers, community nurses, GPs, police and adult social care services work together will also be improved.
Graham Bartlett, the chair of the SAB, said: "This review was concluded in 2019 but, due to the Safeguarding Adults Board referring the matter back to the police for re-investigation, it has not been possible to publish the report until now.
"The outcome of that re-investigation is that the threshold for criminal prosecution was not met.
"The board is confident that the learning is being embedded which will makes tragedies like this less likely in the future."
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