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Elderly parents
Original poster

Oxygen accident in care home

27 replies

serengelly · 19/02/2015 19:53

After 3 years of crises and 3 months in hospital, social services finally agreed my mum could go into residential care, much to my relief. She has dementia, copd and poor sight and mobility. She is on oxygen full time since admission to hospital in November. She was a heavy smoker but was obviously unable to smoke in hospital . I was told to find a home, which I did, and she moved in within a week.
Tuesday night I get a call to say there's been an accident and she's in hospital. She has severe facial burns and remains in burns unit. The home say she was smoking....though she had no access to cigarettes.
Hospital has been great today and put a POVA on her records. In short....we have no way of knowing what happened...and home have 'expelled' her.
What do I do now? Not looking for litigation, but surely something's wrong in this scenario? Thanks.

OP posts:
Doyouthinktheysaurus · 19/02/2015 20:02

Oh god, how awfulSad

I'm not clear about POVA's but I'm thinking that may mean the home will be investigated formally as to how this was able to happen.

I think the first port of call would be to talk to the hospital and find out what they are planning to do with regards to the accident.

I guess you could make a formal complaint to the CQC too. They regulate and inspect care facilities.

Thinking of youThanks

Clobbered · 19/02/2015 20:13

You surely wouldn't want her to go back to somewhere that had allowed this to happen?
Clearly something went badly wrong. I'd wait and see how she gets on with the recovery from the burns. It will likely take quite a while and I doubt you will need to make any decision in the immediate future.
Clearly something went badly wrong. I'd have thought the most likely scenario is that she blagged a cigarette from another resident or visitor who had no idea how dangerous it would be.

ChaiseLounger · 19/02/2015 20:57

Goodness me. Oh dear. Deal with how she is, her recovery. That's the immediate issue.
Presumably you will then find out what happened.

Original poster
serengelly · 19/02/2015 21:54

Did type a long post but it got lost. No, she wont be going back there. A known smoker was befriending her and her lighters left in unlocked office. Home are extremely defensive, have to collect her stuff, so I should ask to see risk assessments, accident report etc......or do I just hope someone in authority does actually do something? Social worker told me I have to look for another home, staff nurse told me to do nothing. I just feel terrible and it could have been so much worse.

OP posts:
rumgy · 19/02/2015 21:57

Is a safeguarding investigation being carried out by SS ?

Original poster
serengelly · 19/02/2015 22:10

I dont know, no one has mentioned it, I assumed one would be but maybe I have to ask for one. Its a private home but council were paying towards the cost....my experience is that each party or organisation involving with my mum pass the buck to each other and no one is ever answerable for anything. Social services disputed she had dementia for a start, despite there being a wwritten diagnoses in 2012

OP posts:
rumgy · 19/02/2015 22:13

If she lacks the mental capacity to know that she is putting herself at risk by smoking whilst on oxygen then the home are certianly at fault.
Speak to the SW.

SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 19/02/2015 22:21

Someone has given her a cigarette and a lighter whilst she is using oxygen? Is that correct?

If so, it is a serious matter and will be investigated. If an individual is found to have acted negligently, they will very probably be placed on the POVA register which will bar them from working with vulnerable adults again.

The home will also have questions to answer re: safety procedures & staff training.

I hope you find another, more suitable, home for your mum very soon Flowers.

Original poster
serengelly · 19/02/2015 22:22

Thankyou. Though her social workerhas done lliterally nothing to support her or us.

OP posts:
thereinmadnesslies · 19/02/2015 22:27

Focus on your mum first. But try to write down a timeline of what happened, phone conversations and the names of people you speak to. Keep adding to the record. This will help you when you are ready to complain and/or you need to liaise with social services to arrange alternative provision.

Huge sympathy for you - my mother is currently in hospital with a broken femur as a result of a carer failing to strap her into a wheelchair properly, so I have a sense of how you are feeling.

Theas18 · 19/02/2015 22:33

Aww much much hugs op.

Safeguarding / cqc etc this is huge failure on the part of the home.

As well as the matters already mentioned there should have been 2 firebreaks on the oxygen pipe to stop this ( we had O2 at home for mum last week so I'm very up to date on the dos and donts ). Sounds as if these weren't fitted.

Doyouthinktheysaurus · 20/02/2015 07:17

I working in a different sector of the nhs so I'm not entirely clear what a pova alert means but ask if a Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults alert has been raised with regards to the home and if not, why not!

Do complain if you feel you aren't getting anywhere. It's not necessarily about proportioning blame, but learning what went wrong and ensuring it doesn't happen again. Yes it was an accident of sorts, but it never should have been able to happen.

saintlyjimjams · 20/02/2015 07:22

If SS are not responding to you then cc your MP when you next email them, they'll all run around like headless chickens then.

It sounds a very serious incident - definitely contact CQC & safeguarding.

PseudoBadger · 20/02/2015 07:24

This is a reportable incident under RIDDOR, make sure the care home has reported it and it will be investigated.

Cherriesandapples · 20/02/2015 07:33

Agree with above poster. This is RIDDOR reportable which means that investigation will be done by Health and Safety Executive. You can call and report the home yourself. This is very serious indeed. Your mother has been injured and there could have been many deaths. If the home hasn't reported this to HSE then they are breaking the law. www.hse.gov.uk

Messygirl · 20/02/2015 09:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
serengelly · 20/02/2015 09:57

Have spoken to adult protection. ..'no investigations as fire service has done one'.......well there is now an investigation after I'd finished speaking to them, due to many poor systems that enabled this to happen in the first place.

OP posts:
PseudoBadger · 20/02/2015 10:27

The HSE/LA investigation (depending on the type of premises) triggered by the RIDDOR report will be separate from those investigations. Have they done a RIDDOR?

PseudoBadger · 20/02/2015 10:52

Also I would expect the CQC to be involved.

rumgy · 20/02/2015 10:57

Yes CQC should know about this,

Has your mum had a mental capacity assessment around making the desicion to smoke ? I would be asking the SW to provide the evidence of this.

FannyFifer · 20/02/2015 11:03

Your poor mum, this is appalling, the home are entirely at fault, duty of care to keep her safe & they didn't.

I would report this as high as you can & speak to a lawyer.

The blame is not on your mum.

FannyFifer · 20/02/2015 11:04

Speak to your local councillor or MP as they can advise & take things further on your behalf.

Pantone363 · 20/02/2015 11:06

Jesus that's awful

You are well within your rights to be tearing a strip off someone!

MrsCakesPrecognition · 20/02/2015 11:30

You can speak to the CQC on 03000 61 61 61

DrownedGirl · 20/02/2015 11:34

Speak to the HSE