A heartbroken dad said he “may not get over” how his late daughter was cared for in a north Liverpool care home deemed inadequate by health inspectors.
Melvyn Chazen, 80, said his daughter Linzi Thomas “did not deserve” the standard of care she received in the final years of her life at Alt Park Nursing Home in Gillmoss. Earlier this month, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) found a blame culture, with residents left shouting for help and at risk of abuse, at Alt Park.
As a result, the home was deemed inadequate and placed into special measures.
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Mr Chazen said he was left deeply upset when he read about the findings and said the care Linzi, a former Liverpool Council employee, received had left him low and as if he had “had enough.” Linzi, 52, died in February, almost a decade after being diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, otherwise known as Pick’s Disease.
The condition is a rare form of dementia and gets worse slowly. Mrs Thomas was transferred to Alt Park, initially on a temporary basis in April 2019.
Her dad, Mr Chazen, said he expressed concerns about the home from the outset. He said: “Linzi was moved there initially until a more suitable home was found.
“They had no experience with dementia patients and I complained that it wasn’t the right place for her. I’ve had this hanging over me for years.”
Mr Chazen said at the time of her move, Linzi’s condition had worsened and felt her needs were never correctly addressed. He added: “There was nothing, they didn’t know how to treat her.
“She had one-to-one care 19 hours a day, she was meant to be in their care but she got inadequate clothes, they didn’t cut her hair.
“It was just dreadful, she didn’t deserve the way she was looked after.” The CQC report released earlier this month said their inspection had been prompted by “multiple concerns” being raised regarding the management of the home “people not being sufficiently hydrated and concerns relating to a poor culture within the service.”
The document found residents’ medicines were not managed safely and as a result, they were placed in “avoidable harm.” Trip hazards in communal areas had not been addressed to prevent falls and appropriate measures had not been taken to ensure the safety of people in the event of an emergency.
During the inspection in March, officials said residents were not observed taking medications covertly, resulting in them not being administered safely or on time, while fluid records indicated people were not sufficiently hydrated.
CQC inspectors said in their report the service was not well-led and the manager and provider failed to carry out their regulatory responsibilities. Staff described working at Alt Park Nursing Home as “chaos” and “confusing at times.”
Mr Chazen said reading about the findings had impacted him emotionally. He said: “I had to put it down because it upset me.
“Everything in the report was everything I’d been complaining about for years. The whole time she was there, I felt powerless to do anything.”
Mr Chazen said attempts had been made by Linzi’s daughter, Darcie, to request that her mum be moved to a more suitable home which had been rejected. In a letter seen by the LDRS, Darcie wrote how she wanted her mum to be “safe and respected.”
Remembering his daughter, Mr Chazen described Linzi as a “giggler and a smiler.” He said: “That’s exactly what she was, she loved Darcie beyond measure and they were best friends until she became ill.”
“She was a wonderful daughter.” Mr Chazen, a widower, added how his daughter’s death had impacted him.
He said: “I just don’t want to go on any longer sometimes, it feels like I’ve had enough. I don’t sit and wallow, I try and get out every day but I’m very low.
“I lost my brothers and sisters, my parents died many years ago and I got through that. I don’t know if I’ll get over this.”
The CQC said they will work alongside We Care Group and Liverpool Council to monitor progress.
A re-inspection will take place within six months and if significant changes have not been made, the CQC could move to shut down the service.
Bernie Suresparan, chief executive officer, at We Care Group said: “The We Care Group is extremely saddened and disappointed with the findings within the report, which we take very seriously. We apologise to residents, family members and the local community that we serve, that the standards in the home have fallen below those expected within the We Care Group.
“We would like to reassure everyone that since the inspection we have put together an action plan to make the necessary improvements identified, made systems more robust and have appointed a new manager. We have already made some significant progress on rectifying many of the concerns identified and are confident that the home will soon be back to the good standard we expect within our homes.”
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