Firm apologises over failings in care of dementia sufferer, 82

Care workers given the job of visiting grandfather-of-four Eric Earnshaw failed to carry out a visit because it was "too scary" to get to the back door of his Huddersfield home during darkness.

The excuse for the missed visit emerged during an investigation into how Mr Earnshaw was left with burns to his legs after falling in front of his fireplace.

He was left without food or drink for 15 hours because of a missed visit by York-based Domus Healthcare Group, which has now apologised for the failings and for the way his daughter was treated in the follow-up investigation.

An inquiry by Kirklees Council, which employs Domus, said the treatment of Mr Earnshaw amounted to abuse.

It is understood that an employee of Domus has since been dismissed.

Mr Earnshaw, who lived in Shepley and had worked as a machine tool fitter in Huddersfield, did not return home after the incident.

He died in June of a stroke after being moved to a care home.

Daughter Ruth Whitehead, 52, of Skelmanthorpe, Huddersfield, complained to the council about his care because she did not want it to happen to anyone else.

She said: "The company added insult to injury in the way one of their staff conducted a meeting. The manager came totally unprepared, had not seen dad's log book and was totally unprofessional."

Mrs Whitehead praised the Kirklees Safeguarding Adults Board for its own investigation, which substantiated an allegation of abuse against Domus and highlighted several missed home visits and the excuses given for non-attendance.

The report said: "It is very evident that the home care call was not placed on the evening of April 15.

"However what is concerning is the reasoning behind the missed call."

The Kirklees Council investigator was told that the Domus worker missed the call because she was working from an old rota which did not have Mr Earnshaw's details – even though the same carer had carried out two late visits earlier that week.

The report added: "Calls were missed as the carers felt it was too 'scary' to obtain entry to the back of Mr Earnshaw's house where his safe key was located as it was too dark."

The excuse was not credible because the investigator checked sunset times and found they were 8pm, an hour after the visit should have been carried out.

Mrs Whitehead said the "too scary" excuse was nonsense because a security light had been fitted which would have illuminated the back door area.

In a statement, the managing director of Domus Healthcare Group, Andrea Jetten, said: "Domus Healthcare wish to convey our sincere apologies to the family of Mr Earnshaw for the distress caused to them as a result of this tragedy and events during the investigation process.

"We regret that on this particular occasion there were shortfalls in the quality of service that we aspire to deliver. Immediate internal actions have been taken and we are working closely with the local authority and service users to ensure that our high standards are met at all times to prevent such a tragedy from happening again."

She added: "As a large provider of support services to vulnerable persons, we would like to reassure people that we have many satisfied clients and greatly regret this incident."

A council spokesman said it was working with Domus to ensure it delivered appropriate levels of care.