Nottinghamshire

My 77-year-old mum, suffering Alzheimer’s, in addition to numerous other healthcare issues, was forced into a Nottinghamshire ’Care’ Home, on the interventions of Social Services, on 11.07.21 following admission to hospital.

Although, initially she was doing well there and the family agreed it was a decision taken on safety grounds, a move to the nursing unit, within the home started a chain of events, which I firmly believe saw her hospitalised on frequent occasions, for multiple unwitnessed falls and to be treated for dehydration & malnutrition, I contend, caused by systemic neglect.

Sadly, my mum died on Friday 18.03.22 while under the excellent care of staff on a gynaecology ward at our local hospital and as she was named in an ongoing safeguarding case. The hospital recommended a referral to the Coroner’s Office & her funeral has to be delayed by a post mortem to establish if neglect contributed to her death and/or caused unnecessary suffering in her final days.

All of this, distressing as it has been is set against a backdrop of funding rip-off. I engaged solicitors to fight for my mum’s right the continuing healthcare funding, to prevent the sale of her house - which was the principal concern of one social worker appointed to her case! The NHS & Notts County Council failed in their duty to offer my mum an assessment under the checklist, until I pointed out that it was illegal and despite an assessment of loss of mental capacity, my attendance at meetings to advocate for my mum was blocked.

The CCG attempted to fob me off with ongoing nursing funding (approx. £190/week, which goes directly to the care home to pay for 24/7 nursing supervision and which was the reason my mum was moved. And worse still, despite £20million in profits, a CEO on an annual salary of £1.4million & an owner with a net worth estimated at £250million, the company running the home - these greedy, money-grubbing profiteers - charged my mum almost £1,200 per week for this neglect, while paying their 4,500 staff as little as £11,500 per year! And, according to a published article in a Norfolk newspaper, they took £2million in infection control and furlough payments from the government, during the pandemic.

I’m gunning for this company and if the Coroner does indicate neglect contributed to my mum’s death, I will seek prosecutions and sue them!