Police caution ex-carer over treatment of resident at care home exposed by the Express
A CARER arrested for neglect at a failing home after appearing to forcibly fling an 82-year-old into a chair has been given a conditional caution.
The 37-year-old man was held after the mobile phone footage of Yvonne Wiliamson, who cannot speak, was highlighted in the Daily Express.
The incident at Summerfield House in Halifax sparked outrage and emerged as the facility, run by Bondcare and judged by inspectors to be requiring improvement, battles a catalogue of crises.
West Yorkshire Police revealed Yvonne’s family were content with the unnamed man being cautioned – and he had apologised to them.
The force said: “The conditional caution for ill treatment/neglect was deemed the most appropriate method of resolving the crime.” The carer, from Calderdale, was arrested in January. He no longer works at the care home or for Bondcare.
The incident, from 2021 or 2022, came before the eviction of frail granof-three Yvonne last June.
She was turfed out after safeguarding issues were raised, despite pleas from Calderdale social services, specialists, the NHS which funded her care and her three children.
The Care Quality Commission watchdog said it was powerless to prevent Yvonne’s eviction given that the provider had issued a “notice to quit”. She found another home.
Summerfield House offers nursing and personal care for up to 107 residents. In its latest inspection report, published in November, the CQC said the home was not always safe, effective, responsive or well-led but was caring.
It was the fifth check on the trot that ruled the home required improvement. The latest inspection took place this year and its findings will be out next week. Summerfield House charges some residents £1,100 a week and is believed to receive around £130,000 a month from the council.
A spokesman said it had hired a new care manager with experience of turning around homes.
It added: “Our primary concern is the wellbeing of our residents.We recognise that we have much to do and continue to work closely with the local authority and CQC to implement the action plan.”