‘Preventable deaths’ warning for North Wales care homes
ACORONER has warned preventable deaths may occur in North Wales care homes because of a shortage of placements for elderly people.
Katie Sutherland, acting senior coroner for North West Wales, has raised her concerns with Gwynedd Council and the Welsh Government.
It follows her investigation into the death of a 93-year-old woman from Gwynedd on July 17 which revealed “matters giving rise to concern”.
Care Home Wales said the coroner’s intervention highlighted the sector’s “chronic underfunding” and “mismanagement” by local councils.
The Welsh Government said it would now be writing to all Regional Partnership Boards to ensure sufficient care provision is available.
In a “Prevention of future deaths” report, Ms Sutherland described how Eirlys Wynne Roberts suffered a fall at her residential home. She died shortly after surgery for a fractured femur.
The coroner learned she had been placed in a home outside Gwynedd because none were available in her home county. As her mental condition deteriorated, she was unable to secure a transfer to a specialist dementia home.
The report implies that better outcomes for Ms Roberts may have occurred had a suitable care placement been found for her.
Ms Sutherland said there was a risk other deaths in Gwynedd’s care homes will occur for similar reasons.
She said: “I am concerned by the lack of available placements for the elderly as and when their cognitive and physical needs change.”
An inquest on January 26, 2020, concluded Ms Roberts died from natural causes contributed to by her fall, fracture and operation.
The coroner said there had been a decline in Ms Roberts’ cognitive health and that, despite “extensive support and care” from her family, additional care was needed.
Writing to Health Minister Eluned Morgan and Gwynedd Council’s corporate director of social services, Ms Sutherland said: “Action should be taken to prevent future deaths, and I believe you have the power to take such action.”
Mario Kreft, chair of Care Forum Wales, said the pandemic had put further financial pressures on residential and nursing homes.
Recently, the Alexandra Nursing Home in Tywyn, Gwynedd, went on sale after falling into administration.
Mr Kreft said: “This illustrates how difficult things are after 26 years of mismanagement by 22 local authorities and seven health boards.
“Sadly the lack of support means other care homes are now at the tipping point and we expect to see more closures as we come out of Covid.”
In the next financial year, Cardiff is allocating more than £250m in extra funding for social care.
It is also working to strengthen the joint commissioning of care and support services, such as residential and nursing care.
Mr Kreft welcomed the extra funding but warned: “It is imperative it is used wisely so we can have a new, fairer approach to funding social care instead of the current postcode lottery.
“There is now an opportunity for a new beginning – a fairer system based on a mutual respect that produces an integrated health and social care system for the people of Wales.”