North West named as worst region for elderly abuse allegations

Malnutrition, dehydration, force-feeding, assault and bullying among the most shocking complaints at North West homes

Reports of abuse and neglect at North West care homes for the elderly are at an all-time high, a law firm has warned.

Care Quality Commission figures show that in 2015/16 nearly 40,000 allegations of elderly abuse in homes were investigated.

The North West is the worst performing region in England, with 34 per cent of care homes rated as “poor”. Four of the 10 areas of Greater Manchester have more than half of homes rated “inadequate” or “requiring improvement”.

Leading injury claim solicitors Irvings Law say that allegations of abuse and neglect have “spiked” as a national funding crisis stretches services to breaking point.

Romilly Houghton, partner at the North West-based lawyers, said: “We’re seeing a spike in inquiries from family members concerning injuries sustained by loved ones in care homes. ”When staff are poorly supervised, poorly trained and don’t get sufficient support from care home management, abuse is more likely to happen.”

Ms Houghton highlighted that many family members don’t realise they can seek compensation if the home is found to have been at fault.

“It’s not about being greedy,” she explained. “Financial redress can make the lives of those who have been injured more comfortable, allowing them to move to a better home.”

She said pay-outs can also force care homes to improve standards.

In the four areas with more than half of homes performing poorly, Stockport is worst with 63 per cent rated as inadequate or requiring improvement. In Salford it was 62 per cent, in Tameside 55 per cent and Manchester 51 per cent.

Shocking recent cases of abuse in the North West include two care workers who were jailed in November last year after admitting psychological abuse of elderly dementia patients by torturing their comfort dolls. Shauna Higgin, 20 and Victoria Johnson, 23 shared videos and images of themselves “harming” the therapy dolls of vulnerable patients at Ashbourne House Nursing Home in Middleton, Rochdale, last year.

In 2015, the owner of a care home in Preston was jailed for 18 months for mistreating elderly residents. Indranee Pumbien, 59, who ran the Briarwood Rest Home, was convicted of force-feeding elderly residents and failing to seek immediate help for a 99-year-old woman who was scalded. Her sentence was later reduced to a year.

In 2012 four care workers were jailed for abusing elderly residents at a care home. The three female and one staff members at Hillcroft nursing home in Slyne-with-Hest near Lancaster mocked, bullied and assaulted elderly residents, including pelting them with bean bags and balls at their heads “for entertainment”.

For free advice call Romilly on our elder care phone line 0800 612 4083 or click here.