At last week’s full council meeting Ryde resident, Simon Cooke, raised serious concerns over staffing levels at care homes and asked for assurances from the Isle of Wight council that recent safeguarding recommendations from the Coroner would be followed.
Simon explained that his mother, Barbara Cooke, was at the centre of a Coroner’s Inquest the week before. He told members of how he’d found her on Mother’s Day at Waxham House care home lying in her own faeces. Whilst two members of staff faced coping with 20 residents, he said, she remained in that state for two and a half hours. He explained that at the same time, he watched another resident die in front of him and his family.
Going on, he told members that he’d reported the incident to Safeguarding and nine days later his mother was admitted to hospital, where tragically, she died a few days after from Septicaemia.
Assurances called for
Simon explained that after he’d reported the two incidents to Safeguarding, he discovered neither of these had been reported by any other medical professional.
Despite his two reports to Safeguarding, “the process went horribly wrong,” said Simon, adding that it had only been because of him that the Coroner had been informed of his mother’s death, triggering an Inquest.
Neglect contributed to mother’s death
He went on to add that following the Inquest, the Coroner, Caroline Sumeray, had concluded his mother’s death had been by natural causes, but contributed to by neglect.
Simon asked for assurances from the member responsible for Adult Social Care and Community Wellbeing, Cllr Steve Stubbings, that the recommendations from the Coroner regarding Safeguarding processes would be followed through.
He also asked if there was anything that could be done by the council about minimum staffing levels in care homes. Was it possible for the council to be more proactive in making sure there are sufficient staffing levels at care homes? After all, he added, they receive millions of pounds each year from the council.
Investigation prevents comments
Cllr Stubbings expressed his sympathies on the death of Mr Cooke’s mother, saying,
“As you can appreciate, this issue is currently under investigation, I am not able to comment on specific incidences, but what I will say is that we’re currently undergoing a process of reviewing safeguarding and all of the comments that you’ve made sir will be taken into consideration on that.
“I would also like, if you feel there would be any advantage to you, to offer you a personal meeting to have a conversation about what recommendations you would like me to put forward in view of this issue.”
Mr Cooke agreed to meet and asked what investigation Cllr Stubbings was referring to.
Cllr Stubbings replied,
“We’re always investigating safeguarding issues in relation to events that happen in care homes. I can’t say further than that sir because of the reason I gave earlier on.”
More to the case
Simon explained that his 84 year old mother was born in Ryde and lived there all her life. She’d lived in Hope Road for 60 years before moving to Waxham House in August 2012.
The medical cause of death was found to be:
- 1a Multiple Organ Failure
- 1b Septicaemia
- 1c Infected Pressure Sores
Following the council meeting, Simon told OnTheWight,
“Although the CP concentrated on the events of Mother’s Day, where I found her soiled and the other lady dying, the main reason my Mum died was that they failed to report the pressure sore to any medical professional.
“They insist they left a voicemail for the district nurse, but they have no record of it. I believe they didn’t make any other attempts to report it or even tell the two GPs that visited in the week before she was admitted to hospital. They didn’t tell me either, even though I held the medical lasting power of attorney and was very involved in Mum’s medical affairs (I usually accompanied her to appointments etc).”
Further advice from the Coroner
Simon also confirmed the coroner would be writing to the owner of the care home, Sanjay Ramdany (who also owns Cornelia Heights care home in George Street, Ryde), asking him to increase staffing levels under ‘Regulation 28: Report To Prevent Future Deaths’. We’re told he agreed in court to do so.
Our thoughts are with Simon and his family at what must be a very difficult time.
