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'Epidemic' of abuse & Neglect in UK Care Homes

A leading elder abuse lawyer has called for there to be stricter safeguards around care home management and swifter action by the CSCI (Commission for Social Care Inspection) to stop an 'epidemic of abuse and neglect' in the nations care homes.

Care Home Abuse

Speaking on the day that the body of Nellie "Mary" Pickford, 89, is exhumed as part of an inquiry into suspicious deaths at Parkfields residential home in Somerset, Jonathan Peacock from law firm Irwin Mitchell has warned that more needs to be done to ensure the most vulnerable in society are cared for.

Neglect in UK Care Homes

Mr Peacock is currently representing the family of Lesley Vines who died aged 77 just ten days after being admitted to Birmingham's Maypole Nursing Home, in their High Court battle to challenge a Coroner's decision not to hold an inquest into their father's death. If successful the inquests into what are believed to be 16 other suspicious deaths of residents at the home will also be considered.
Mr Peacock, a Partner at National law firm Irwin Mitchell, said:

"We believe that the CSCI need to show more teeth, and take proactive steps in intervening in care homes shown to be lacking proper standards of care for the most vulnerable members of society. Whilst we recognise their actions in the investigation into the Parkfields residential home, we believe that in many other cases they have not acted soon enough to meet the concerns of residents and their families."

"These people deserve the very highest standards of care and nothing should be put before resident's safety and quality of life."

The Maypole Nursing home was run by two doctors Dr Jamalapuram Hari Gopal and his wife Pratury Samrajya Lakshmi who were both struck off after a GMC hearing in January 2006, which found them guilty of serious professional misconduct and their actions were deemed "inappropriate, irresponsible and inadequate". The private nursing home was forced to shut in March 2003 after an unannounced inspection.

27 patients died at the home during 2002, which was registered to look after only 36 elderly and mentally infirm patients. This compares with 8 deaths during 2001. 80% of the death certificates gave Broncho-Pneumonia as a cause of death, these were written by the two doctors who both financially benefited from the home and were responsible for the well-being of patients.

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