Elderly resident was ‘left soaked in urine’ days before death

Lofthouse Grange Care Home, in Wakefield, has accepted multiple failings according to the report, by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. These failings included staff putting nicotine patches on the patient’s chest, despite knowing she had breast cancer, the Ombudsman said. Orchard Care Homes, which runs the home, has been contacted for comment.

The Ombudsman’s report was sparked by the patient’s daughter, anonymously referred to as ‘Ms B’, who complained that her mum had received “poor care” in the home. Lofthouse Grange had been commissioned by Leeds City Council to meet the elderly resident’s social care needs.

The woman’s daughter claimed the care provider “failed to give full information to a GP” when her mum was suffering from breathing difficulties, which she said delayed the doctor’s subsequent visit.

The report said that the resident, referred to as ‘Ms C’, “went to hospital the next day without seeing the GP, where Ms B says Ms C was treated for pneumonia and died a few days later.

It added: “Ms B says Ms C was left lying in a urine soaked bed and continence pad, which was neglect and would not have helped her health.”

The Ombudsman said the home had apologised to the woman’s family and accepted “some failings”.

The provider admitted it “failed to provide appropriate continence care resulting in Ms C laying in urine”, and that staff had “placed nicotine patches on Ms C’s breast area, knowing she had breast cancer.”

Management also admitted that they’d “either failed to tell the family of a GP visit or failed to properly record it had told them”.

The report added: “The provider has apologised and reminded staff of the importance of accurate and contemporaneous record keeping.”

Despite outlining the case, and acknowledging Ms B was “struggling to come to terms with her mother’s death”, the Ombudsman said it would not investigate the incident any further.

It explained: “The care provider has accepted failings, apologised, and taken action to improve service. It is unlikely the Ombudsman could add to that investigation or reach a different outcome.”