This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-35861959
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Nottingham woman, 93, found living in 'squalor' | Nottingham woman, 93, found living in 'squalor' |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| A council is investigating how a 93-year-old woman was left to live alone in "shocking" conditions despite carers being paid to look after her. | A council is investigating how a 93-year-old woman was left to live alone in "shocking" conditions despite carers being paid to look after her. |
| The woman's plight was discovered by chance when a member of the public gave her a lift home after finding her confused at the side of a road. | The woman's plight was discovered by chance when a member of the public gave her a lift home after finding her confused at the side of a road. |
| She checked on her a few days later and found she had been living in "squalor". | She checked on her a few days later and found she had been living in "squalor". |
| Sevacare, which was contracted to care for the woman by Nottingham City Council, has apologised. | |
| More on this and other Nottingham stories | More on this and other Nottingham stories |
| Ursula Norris, who found the 93-year-old at the side of the road on 8 March, was so shocked when she saw the woman's house she phoned the police. | Ursula Norris, who found the 93-year-old at the side of the road on 8 March, was so shocked when she saw the woman's house she phoned the police. |
| "When I entered the property, that's when it all became apparent that this lady was actually living in the conditions of squalor," she said. | "When I entered the property, that's when it all became apparent that this lady was actually living in the conditions of squalor," she said. |
| 'Rot and mould' | 'Rot and mould' |
| "It was the smell that hit me first. It's nothing you can describe to anybody. You would have had to have smelled it to believe it." | "It was the smell that hit me first. It's nothing you can describe to anybody. You would have had to have smelled it to believe it." |
| She found bags of rubbish, maggots, piles of out of date food and a rug "just stuck to the floor with rot and mould". | She found bags of rubbish, maggots, piles of out of date food and a rug "just stuck to the floor with rot and mould". |
| Nottinghamshire Police contacted the council and, in a statement, said it is "working closely with the city council's social care team to ensure her living conditions are greatly improved". | Nottinghamshire Police contacted the council and, in a statement, said it is "working closely with the city council's social care team to ensure her living conditions are greatly improved". |
| Ms Norris and a friend have also been cleaning the house and making daily checks on the woman. | Ms Norris and a friend have also been cleaning the house and making daily checks on the woman. |
| Council 'acted immediately' | Council 'acted immediately' |
| Helen Jones, director of adult social care at Nottingham City Council, said: "We were shocked to hear of the conditions this lady had been living in recently and acted immediately once we were informed by the police." | Helen Jones, director of adult social care at Nottingham City Council, said: "We were shocked to hear of the conditions this lady had been living in recently and acted immediately once we were informed by the police." |
| She said the council relies on Sevacare to advise it of any concerns and the agency is contractually-obliged to do this. | She said the council relies on Sevacare to advise it of any concerns and the agency is contractually-obliged to do this. |
| "We have been out to visit her and increased her current care levels - we will continue to work with her to ensure her wellbeing into the future," she added. | "We have been out to visit her and increased her current care levels - we will continue to work with her to ensure her wellbeing into the future," she added. |
| 'Full investigation' | 'Full investigation' |
| In a statement, the Care Quality Commission said: "The CQC has been made aware of concerns surrounding the care of a woman, provided by Sevacare in Nottingham and referred information regarding the concerns to Nottingham City Council under its safeguarding procedures. | In a statement, the Care Quality Commission said: "The CQC has been made aware of concerns surrounding the care of a woman, provided by Sevacare in Nottingham and referred information regarding the concerns to Nottingham City Council under its safeguarding procedures. |
| "This service was inspected by CQC in September 2015 and received a rating of 'requires improvement' overall. We are monitoring the service very closely and liaising with our colleagues form Nottingham City Council." | "This service was inspected by CQC in September 2015 and received a rating of 'requires improvement' overall. We are monitoring the service very closely and liaising with our colleagues form Nottingham City Council." |
| 'Calls cancelled' | |
| Sevacare said in a statement on Monday: "We are currently working with Nottingham City Council and are in the process of carrying out a full investigation to ensure that we quickly establish the full facts surrounding this case. | |
| "While we do not normally discuss an individual case, we can confirm that our initial investigation has revealed that the service user has full capacity to make her own decisions. | "While we do not normally discuss an individual case, we can confirm that our initial investigation has revealed that the service user has full capacity to make her own decisions. |
| "We have been providing support to this individual since June 2015 by way of one support call per week. Many of these calls have, however, been cancelled at the request of the individual." | "We have been providing support to this individual since June 2015 by way of one support call per week. Many of these calls have, however, been cancelled at the request of the individual." |
| In a further statement earlier, Sevacare chief executive Ravi Bains said: "We deeply regret any distress caused to our service user and all those well intentioned individuals who have contacted us to voice their concerns too, it shows we live in a caring society. | |
| "We have put in place additional measures to ensure such issues are less likely to occur in the future, with refresher training at both a local and national level being implemented immediately." |