A Safeguarding Adult Review report has been published by Haringey’s Safeguarding Adults Board into the conditions endured by Paulette, a woman in her 50s who was living and died in a care home in Tottenham.

Paulette’s sister, represented by Monica Kreel, an experienced community care solicitor at TV Edwards Solicitors, pushed for a Safeguarding Adults Review under section 44 of the Care Act 2014 because she believed that Paulette suffered neglect and harm before her death. Paulette’s name has been disclosed with the consent of the family.

Paulette, who had a neurological condition, was placed in a care home by Haringey Social Services after safeguarding concerns were raised when she lived at home. However, a move that was meant to be temporary while more suitable accommodation was found ended up being permanent. Haringey failed to authorize Paulette’s deprivation of liberty, even though Paulette lacked mental capacity to decide where she lived and was confined to a care home. This meant that there was no clear process for her to challenge the decision to place her there, a process which she was entitled to under Article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Other failings of Haringey and other public bodies contributed to Paulette’s emotional and physical decline. The wheelchair service at Whittington Health NHS Trust refused to provide her with an assessment or a wheelchair because she was living in a care home. This type of blanket policy is unlawful.

There was also a delay in providing her with physiotherapy even though an immediate referral had been recommended. Her mobility declined and by the time she was offered physiotherapy she was not able to make use of it.

Haringey Council also failed to carry out a correct financial assessment of Paulette, resulting in her accruing huge rent arrears for a flat she was no longer living in. The report concluded that there was a lack of joined-up working around Paulette’s tenancy management and rent arrears.

The care home where Paulette died has a large block contract with the London Borough of Haringey. The family was concerned that Paulette was placed there without regard to her individual needs and that there were no alternative placements for her. The report has recommended that steps are taken in Haringey to look at and plug the gaps in services, so that there is a real choice of options for people like Paulette who have neurological conditions such as early onset dementia.

The Safeguarding Adult Review report also found that there should have been better multidisciplinary planning for Paulette, so that her individual care needs – including her social, cultural and emotional needs – were recognized and met.

The events described in the report happened during the pandemic, which meant less face-to-face contact with professionals and more severe staff shortages.

The family hopes that the report will lead to improvements in services and better oversight of people living in care homes in Haringey.

The family’s contribution to the Safeguarding Adult Review was welcomed by the Safeguarding Adults Board and helped to shape their recommendations

Disclaimer: The information on the TV Edwards website is for general information only and reflects the position at the date of publication.