Essex care home staff had to search ‘how to care’ for their own residents

Landmark decision by Ombudsman exposes shocking failure at Silverpoint Court

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has upheld a complaint against Essex County Council after it found that staff at Silverpoint Court care home had to search online for guidance on how to care for their own residents.

The complaint was made by a family member of a resident who had been living at the home. The family member had concerns about the quality of care being provided and raised these concerns with the council.

The council investigated the complaint and found that there were a number of problems with the care being provided at the home. These included:

• Staff did not have the necessary training and experience to care for vulnerable adults.
• Staff were not following the care plans that had been put in place for residents.
• Residents were not being treated with dignity and respect.
• The home was not being managed properly.

The council accepted the findings of the investigation and agreed to take steps to improve the quality of care being provided at the home.

The Ombudsman’s decision is a landmark decision and it is likely to have a significant impact on the way that care homes are regulated in the future.

The decision shows that the Ombudsman is willing to hold local authorities to account for the quality of care being provided in care homes.

It also shows that the Ombudsman is prepared to take a tough stance on care homes that are not providing a good standard of care.