William Eichler 20 March 2025

Council inaction left disabled woman scared she would die

Council inaction left disabled woman scared she would die image
Image: William Barton / Shutterstock.com.

A disabled Islington woman said she was scared she had been left ‘to die’ after the council took too long to decide what support she should receive, according to an investigation.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found the council had been contacted repeatedly by healthcare professionals warning that the woman’s needs were urgent.

However, the London authority took nine months to visit her for an assessment and still had not put a care package in place by the time she first complained to the Ombudsman four months after this visit.

Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, Ms Amerdeep Somal, said it was ‘incomprehensible’ why the woman was left for so long without support from the council.

Cllr Flora Williamson, Islington Council’s Executive Member for Health and Social Care, apologised for the ‘avoidable distress and frustration suffered’ and said the council had already implemented all of the Ombudsman’s recommendations.

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