Disabled woman left in “state of neglect” after council took too long to decide what funding it would give her to manage own support needs, Ombudsman finds
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has criticised Islington Council for leaving a woman with significant needs without any care and support for “months on end”, after it took too long to decide what funding it would give her to manage her own support needs.
The woman behind the complaint, Mrs X, has several long-term health conditions that make it difficult for her to complete many daily activities.
The report found that from when the woman left hospital for the first time in March 2023, the council was contacted “several times” by professionals, including her GP and Occupational Therapist, stating the woman’s needs were urgent.
However, the council said it had a waiting list and her case had yet to be allocated to someone to deal with it.
In October 2023, Mrs X contacted the council, telling it she was housebound and had not had a bath or shower for 12 months. She said she was scared the council would “leave her to die”.
The local authority visited the following month, but did not carry out an assessment until December – nine months after she left hospital.
The Ombudsman said: “The assessment noted she was bed bound, but no budget for a care package was put in place by the time the woman first complained to the Ombudsman in April 2024, despite safeguarding concerns being raised by her friends and the local fire brigade.”
The woman was hospitalised for a second time in June 2024 without yet receiving any payments for her care.
To remedy the injustice caused, the Ombudsman recommended the council to:
- apologise to the woman and pay her £3,000 to recognise the distress and loss of care and support;
- devise and implement written guidelines for prioritising cases for social care assessments;
- instruct staff to offer people with unmet eligible care and support needs an interim care package to meet their needs before closing a case.
According to the report, the council has agreed to the recommendations.
Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman Amerdeep Somal said: “It’s incomprehensible with the evidence available and the number of contacts the council has had, why it left a woman with significant and very obvious unmet needs without any care and support for months on end when she left hospital.
“I am pleased the council has accepted my recommendations to improve the way it prioritises cases in its waiting list. I hope this ensures people with such serious needs do not go without vital support for too long in future.”
Cllr Flora Williamson, Islington Council’s Executive Member for Health and Social Care, said: “I am sorry for the impact this has had on Ms X.
“The council is determined to make Islington a more equal place, where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, and on this occasion we did not live up to our own standards."
Cllr Williamson added: “We have written to Ms X to apologise for the avoidable distress and frustration suffered, as well as the delays in assessing her needs and providing the identified care and support. I am grateful to Ms X for raising her case with us.
“We have carefully considered the Ombudsman’s report in this case and accepted its recommendations in full. We have already implemented all the recommendations and made improvements to the way we prioritise cases for social care assessments and now offer interim care packages for eligible residents with unmet needs.”
