An elderly woman was fed dog food by care workers in the months before her death, in what has been described as a 'litany of errors'. Portsmouth City Council has apologised after an investigation found that care workers employed by Radis, a contracted home care provider, did not provide 'sufficient' care.
Investigation and Findings
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman determined that the care amounted to a 'significant personal injustice'. The woman, referred to as Mrs Y, received at-home care from GP Homecare Ltd, known as Radis, after a fall in April 2024 left her with reduced mobility and confined to bed.
Her family raised concerns, with her son noting a 'lack of management oversight at Radis'. Staff did not refer to her care plan, visits were not recorded accurately, and a 'Do Not Attempt Resuscitation' document was found 'scrunched up in a cupboard'. A Section 42 safeguarding enquiry was opened by the council, and Radis launched an internal investigation.
The Dog Food Incident
In mid-June 2024, a care worker was caught feeding Mrs Y dog food, recorded as a 'lamb dinner'. The worker 'only realised the meat was dog food when they noticed the packaging in the kitchen'. They attempted to report the incident but their call was not answered, and they reported it in person the following week. A senior manager asked why they did not remove the dog food or report it on the day. The worker was told to remove the dog food from Mrs Y's freezer 'to prevent any other care workers doing the same'.
It was later revealed that the care worker 'fed three mouthfuls of microwaved dog food to Mrs Y'. The food was vacuum packed and stored by Mrs Z in Mrs Y's freezer, labelled as 'fresh take on dog food' and 'for adult dogs and puppies'.
Aftermath and Response
Following a meeting between Radis and the family, a new care provider was to be hired, but in July 2024, Mrs Y's health declined, and the family delayed the new provider's start date. Radis continued to provide end-of-life care. Mrs Y's daughter alleged that 'footage from Mrs Y's home camera showed evidence of a care worker force feeding Mrs Y'. In late July 2024, Mrs Y died, with the cause concluded as 'frailty of old age'.
Radis accepted fault and took action against the care workers involved. The council's investigation also found that Mrs Y was 'left unattended for prolonged periods and on occasions left wet or in darkness overnight'. Staffing was 'inconsistent', with concerns about workers' 'attitude, compassion and respectful communication'. There were also allegations that staff falsified records and that some visits did not occur despite being recorded.
Council Apology and Action
The ombudsman proposed the council apologise, refund care fees, and offer a symbolic payment of £1,000 to the family to 'recognise significant distress' and the 'delays' in the safeguarding investigation. Councillor Matthew Winnington, cabinet member for community wellbeing, health and care, said: 'We accept the Ombudsman's findings in full and recognise the seriousness of what happened in this case. We ended our contract with Radis early and we no longer work with, or commission services from them.'
He added: 'The care described in this report is not the standard anyone should expect, particularly at such a vulnerable time in someone's life. 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.'
He also noted that the events happened two years ago, and since then, the council has taken action to strengthen oversight of care providers. Adult social care services recently received a 'good' rating from the Care Quality Commission.
