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Alan Simper dies after failings at a leading care home
25 May 2010
A Coroner at Luton and Dunstable Coroners Court has determined that local man, Alan Simper, died of infected multiple pressure sores as a result of care failings by Swiss Cottage Nursing Home.
Alan Simper, 85, from Dunstable in Luton, suffered from Parkinsons and dementia and was cared for at home by his wife Mari. He was admitted into Luton and Dunstable hospital on 21st December 2008 and was diagnosed with a Urinary Tract Infection and cognitive deterioration. Whilst in hospital his condition worsened and his wife was informed that she could no longer care for him herself and would have to admit him into a nursing home.
Mrs Simper visited many homes searching for the best possible care for her husband but due to his blindness, deafness and dependence on a catheter it proved very difficult to find somewhere that could adequately take care of all his needs.
Swiss Cottage Nursing Home in Leighton Buzzard, which is owned by the largest care home provider in the UK, Southern Cross, claimed to be medically able to nurse Mr Simper back to health whilst also looking after his day to day needs. Mr Simper was admitted to the home on Friday 23rd January and upon admission had three minor sores.
Mrs Simper went to visit her husband the following day and when she entered his room he was on all fours, naked except for a nappy, covered in bruises and congealed blood, and rocking methodically on the floor.
Members of staff at the home informed Mrs Simper that they were suffering due to staff shortages. She immediately alerted Mr Simper’s son Russell to the problems at the care home and he started to monitor his father closely.
Russell requested repeatedly that his father’s wounds be treated and dressed properly as they were getting much worse, he also requested that a GP was called to see his father but the care home ignored him on several occasions. Instead his pressure sores were allowed to worsen and become life threatening.
Eventually, on Wednesday 18th February Mr Simper was seen by a GP and a tissue viability nurse. The next day he was admitted back to the Luton and Dunstable hospital where he later died.
Upon re-admission a nurse at the hospital found he was grossly unkempt, covered in old faeces. It was noted that the three pressure sores he was admitted with had multiplied to a staggering 18 sores. The sores had inadequate and old dressings on. Another nurse commented that this was the worst case of neglect at a care home she had ever seen.
Russell Simper said: “My stepmother Mari and I just feel so incredibly guilty. We took the advice of the doctors and had my father admitted into what we thought would be the best possible place for him. But the nursing home completely neglected him and it has now been confirmed that this neglect directly caused his death. We wish we had taken him out of there sooner, but we were repeatedly told that everything was fine and would improve.”
Nisha Sharma, a medical negligence solicitor at leading law firm Russell Jones & Walker who is representing the Simper family, said “This is an appalling case of neglect on the part of Swiss Cottage Nursing Home. Mrs Simper and her son did all they could to chose a place capable of meeting Mr Simper’s care needs and the family put their trust in Swiss Cottage. Today, the coroner confirmed that care failings played a significant role in Mr Simper’s death. It is important that these cases are highlighted to ensure that care homes across the country provide elderly people with the levels of care they need.”
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