Carer’s shocking fall on top of frail Fife pensioner

HEALTH: Family of Phamie Sutherland hit out after incident caught on camera

A Fife family has hit out after a carer fell on top of a 94-year-old woman just three hours after her release from hospital.

The shocking incident was caught on camera at the Lumphinnans home of Phamie Sutherland on July 27 after her relatives became concerned by the level of care she received.

Footage seen by The Courier shows a worker from Avenue Care Services attempting to pull the pensioner on to her feet from the couch in her living room. She then climbs behind the frail OAP and attempts to push her up before falling on top of Mrs Sutherland.

The pensioner’s daughter, Agnes Sutherland, said: “The carer phoned me to say that my mum had slipped and so I asked (granddaughter) Marie to go round and I went to look at the camera to see what had happened.

“I had just left at the back of 8pm and the fall happened at 10.17pm. She had just home from the hospital where they were monitoring her because of blood loss concerns.

“We had to take her back the following day because she said her foot was sore so they did some x-rays but there’s just some bruising there, thankfully.”

Mrs Sutherland, a former carer, said: “I was absolutely disgusted with what I saw. I would never have dreamt of doing that to anybody. She was pulling my mum by the arms to try to get her up and then climbed behind her on the couch, trying to push her up.

“The zimmer frame was moving further and further away from my mum so even if she did manage to get on her feet, there was nothing to hold on to. Her legs are rock solid, she can’t really lift her legs at all. She just shuffles forward.

“I actually thought her face hit the zimmer but it didn’t, it hit the floor. The carer then fell on top of her. Then, just two days later, the carers failed to turn up for their bedtime visit.”

Granddaughter Marie Stark, 35, said: “The reason we are speaking out about this is not to insult the carers because my gran loves 95% of them and some of them are absolutely amazing with her.

“They realise their job is a lifeline for some people but it’s other 5% who just use it as a way to pay their bills. They don’t seem to really care.

“The failings that Avenue Care have done to my gran are unbelievable. We’ve had meeting after meeting but nothing changes.”

David Heaney, divisional general manager from Fife Health and Social Care Partnership, said: “In all cases, including this one, where the social work service receives information relating to allegations of harm or potential harm to vulnerable adults in any setting, we have a duty under adult support and protection law to take appropriate action to safeguard the individuals.

“Appropriate action is therefore under way in this case.”

Avenue Care Services were approached for comment but declined make a statement.

The worker from Avenue Care Services tried to pull Mrs Sutherland to her feet from the couch, climbed behind the 94-year-old and tried to push her up then fell on top of her.