Family’s fury as gran with dementia is evicted from care house

The care watchdog mentioned it was powerless to ­stop Yvonne Williamson, 82, being turfed out of the £1,100-a-week facility.

Mrs Williamson, who can’t converse, needed to depart regardless of the objections of care ­professionals, who argued it might trigger her large misery.

Daughter Penny Hutchinson, 55, mentioned: “Safeguarding issues have been raised by the home – not the family. We have been given no logical explanation and are left thinking a decision made by someone who never met mum wants issues off the register to make their lives easier.”

Grandmother-of-three Mrs Williamson’s eviction from Summerfield House, run by Bondcare in Halifax, West Yorkshire, shocked her carers and got here regardless of pleas for clemency from Calderdale Social Services, specialists, the NHS which funds the care and the household itself.

Penny, her sister Sally Fletcher and brother David Williamson, wished their mum to stay on the house due to her relationship with carers.

Today they have been compelled to gather her belongings and transfer her after a five-and-a-half 12 months keep. Her carers have been in tears.

The eviction was served on March 21 giving the household a statutory 28-day discover interval. It was delayed whereas specialists argued her case.

They repeatedly mentioned it was not in the perfect pursuits of Mrs Wiliamson, a former GP receptionist, to be moved given her fragile well being. After conferences and interviews they continue to be baffled by the choice.

Penny mentioned: “I have reduced my working hours so between the three of us we can visit mum three times a day to help with her care.

“Our presence means when issues occur, we notice, obligating the care home to raise a ­safeguarding issue with the local authority.

“However, our presence has also meant many safeguards have been avoided. For example, we make sure mum has plenty of fluids.

“Some people might ask why stay there. It’s ­simply because mum is familiar with the home and the carers and therefore professionals deem remaining there to be in her best interests. She has advanced dementia and can’t speak and has to be assisted with eating, drinking and ­washing.

“The continuity of care she receives is critical. Her face lights up when she sees some of her carers.” Bondcare says “creating a warm and friendly environment is a key part of our philosophy, ensuring we treat everyone with sensitivity and respect”.

In a letter to Calderdale Social Services, seen by the Express, and titled “notice of contract ­termination”, it mentioned: “We have highlighted that we feel duty bound to our staff who no longer feel able to support and care for Yvonne at Summerfield House and that this decision has not been made lightly.”

Summerfield House, a residential care house offering nursing and private look after as much as 107 folks, is rated as “requires improvement” by the CQC.

After its newest inspection the CQC revealed a damning report detailing how residents “were at risk of harm as the provider had not always identified, assessed or mitigated risks” and “medicines were not always managed safely”.

It added: “The last rating (published July 15, 2022) was ‘requires improvement’ and there were breaches of ­regulation. The provider ­completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do to improve.

“At this inspection we found the ­provider remained in breach of regulations.”

The CQC mentioned the service was not at all times protected, efficient or well-led. Penny mentioned: “I wrote to the CQC asking it to urgently intervene and [chief inspector of adult social care] Kate Terroni told me there was nothing they could do.

”Assessments carried out by the native built-in care board, Calderdale Council, the social companies deprivation of liberty group, and safeguarding specialists all collectively confirmed the house was in a position to meet Mrs Williamson’s wants, and expectations of her care have been cheap.

These have been carried out after the eviction discover was served. As Mrs Williamson’s kids packed her belongings yesterday it was clear carers have been unaware of the transfer and have been left shocked and tearful.

Diane Mayhew, Rights for Residents Campaign Manager at Care Rights UK, mentioned: “The family have been let down by everyone they turned to for help. They have a paper trail of everything from the Integrated Care Board, the CQC, local authority and social workers – all of whom said that it wasn’t in Mrs Williamson’s best interest to be evicted.

“It’s an absolute travesty and I can’t believe this is allowed to happen with no consequences to anyone other than the resident and her ­family. It’s disgraceful families are being ­punished for safeguarding issues raised
by the home.”

A spokesman for the house mentioned: “The relocation of a resident is a matter of last resort. In this instance, the demands of the family were so great, there became a breakdown in trust, ­leaving staff feeling vulnerable and at risk.”

Amanda Partington-Todd, deputy director of grownup social care at CQC, mentioned: “It is not ­acceptable for people to be treated unfairly if they raise concerns.

“Appropriate action will be taken if we find providers failing in their responsibilities.

“The CQC does not have power to intervene in decisions providers make to issue a ‘notice to quit’. But we do review how providers handle complaints when looking at how responsive and well led a care home is.”