Parkside House investigation panellist frustrated at lack of available sanctions - Local

A MEMBER of the panel that examined the serious neglect of five elderly people at a Northampton nursing home has expressed “frustration” that action cannot be taken against homes on the basis of Serious Case Reviews.


Joanne Geddes is on the board of Northamptonshire Safeguarding of Vulnerable Adults (SOVA) after being invited to join following a Serious Case Review into the death of her father at a nursing home in Moulton in 2008.

She was also one of a panel of independent members who held a Serious Case Review, released this month, into the cases of five dementia residents who were neglected at Parkside House nursing home in Northampton last summer and later died within two weeks of each other.

Parkside staff identified by the inquiry were waiting to hear if they will be disciplined by their professional bodies but no legal action can be taken based on the in-depth review by health and council officials.

Mrs Geddes said she was frustrated that, in all such cases, no powers existed to bring privately-run care homes to book for serious neglect. She said: “It would be nice if something more could happen when a Serious Case Review makes its findings because it’s a thorough investigation.

“It was clearly, clearly wrong what happened to my dad but there was no case. How can that be right? I can’t believe that situation exists still.

“Residents are not protected in the way they should be and I think that’s a big hole. I said to the home they had failed in their duty of care but there was nothing I could do to take things further. I do find it a bit frustrating that more can’t be done. It’s not just the SOVA board; there’s no legislation to allow you to prosecute the people responsible and make the changes I’d like to see.

“I’d like to see someone accountable for what happened to my dad, either an individual or an organisation.

“People at Parkside and my dad were treated badly. If the same happened to a 15-year-old boy there’d be a consequence but, in these cases, there doesn’t seem to be.”




Parkside House investigation panellist frustrated at lack of available sanctions - Local - Northampton Chronicle & Echo