Council reputation 'damaged' by care home closure

A council's reputation has been "severely damaged" by the closure of a care home for vulnerable residents with dementia, a review has found.

Residents at Hazel Garth in Knottingley, West Yorkshire, were given just 24 hours to leave when Wakefield Council temporarily shut the facility in May.

An independent review said the closure "was not justified" and "should not have happened in the way it did and must never happen again".

The damning 30-page report described how one resident died 16 days after being moved. The council has apologised for its failings.

Council leader Denise Jeffery said: "I’m deeply sorry to the residents, their families and our staff at Hazel Garth for the impact this decision had on them.

"I’ve listened to some extremely distressing stories from the families. The extent to which we let them down is starkly set out in the independent report.

"And the seriousness of the failings underlines how this must never be allowed to happen again."

The report, which was carried out by Janet Waggott, a former chief executive of Selby District Council, also called for compensation to be paid for the distress caused to residents and their families.

She said: "The decision to close Hazel Garth so rapidly has had a profound effect on all concerned and has caused harm and distress.

"The reputation of the council has been severely damaged.

"If people had been consulted and involved in the decision, if more thought and consideration had been given to the residents who lived in Hazel Garth and their families, then I strongly believe there would have been no need for this review.

"Common courtesy was not afforded to the residents who were in the council’s care."

Ms Waggott said there was a “blame culture” within the council’s adult services and health departments, with staff reporting bullying and being fearful of raising concerns.

Her report also said senior councillors were “misinformed” over the closure and residents’ families “felt they had been lied to”.

Knottingley ward councillors were not informed of the closure and care home staff, management and unions were not consulted until after the decision had been made.

According to the report, Hazel Garth’s registered manager only learned of the closure through Facebook.

It said when the home closed on 24 May, it was "chaotic" with no senior managers present.

"A lot of staff were around given the number of residents and there were also agency staff in the home," the report said.

“Family members were clearly upset and angry, staff tearful and bewildered.”

It added: "Social workers were left to explain a decision they didn’t understand to the residents’ families."

All six residents were moved from the home by 3 June, but one died 16 days later, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Wakefield Council said it had already taken "proactive improvement steps" including apologising to residents’ families, and strengthening leadership in adult social care.

The incident has also triggered an overhaul of the leadership and delivery of the authority’s adult social care service.

In June, the council confirmed that Jo Webster, corporate director for adults, health and communities, had “voluntarily stepped aside”.

Ms Webster, who is also a senior NHS officer, was appointed to the “joint leadership” position 18 months ago.

Ms Jeffery said last month that the dual role would no longer continue.

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