Elderly Woman Fed Dog Food by Care Workers
Ombudsman finds 'significant personal injustice' as council terminates contract with GP Homecare Ltd (Radis) following severe care failures.
Image: Eddie Pollard / AI
Carla Rooney
A woman with limited mobility was fed dog food by care workers from GP Homecare Ltd (Radis) in the months before her death.
Confined to bed after an April 2024 fall, Mrs. Y required a soft diet; her choking risk was elevated by a mini-stroke.
Care workers from Radis, a council-contracted firm, committed a 'litany of errors,' reportedly giving her vacuum-packed dog food labeled for adult dogs and puppies.
An investigation began after Mrs. Y's family raised serious concerns; her son claimed staff failed to consult her care plan and did not accurately record visits.
Mrs. Y's son also claims a 'Do Not Attempt Resuscitation' document was discovered 'scrunched up in a cupboard.'
The care described in this report is not the standard anyone should expect, particularly at such a vulnerable time in someone's life.
Footage from Mrs. Y's home camera showed evidence of a care worker force-feeding her, her daughter stated.
The senior manager questioned why the dog food remained and why the incident went unreported on the day it happened; the care worker reported the incident in person the following week after calls to a senior colleague went unanswered.
Allegations surfaced that staff falsified records, with some recorded visits never taking place.
The Ombudsman recommended Portsmouth City Council issue an apology, refund care fees, and offer a £1,000 payment to the family.
Matthew Winnington stated, "We accept the Ombudsman's findings in full and recognise the seriousness of what happened in this case."
Winnington confirmed, "We ended our contract with Radis early and we no longer work with, or commission services from them."
Matthew Winnington stated, "The care described in this report is not the standard anyone should expect, particularly at such a vulnerable time in someone's life."
He added, "We have apologised to the family and are very sorry for the distress they have experienced; we know this has been deeply upsetting for the family."
Winnington noted, "These events happened two years ago, and since then we have taken action to strengthen how we oversee care providers."
The council's adult social care services recently received a 'good' rating from the Care Quality Commission.