Essex County Council’s decision to move a man with dementia away from his wife during the final weeks of his life caused ‘avoidable distress’, an ombudsman has said.
The council moved the man to a care home that was 40 minutes further away from the home he was staying in because it was the cheaper option once his needs changed.
The new home was further away from his wife, which meant that she was unable to spend as much time as she wanted with her husband before his death six weeks after the move.
An investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found the council moved the man without a ‘best interests’ decision process, and did not provide a full explanation in writing.
Ombudsman, Ms Amerdeep Somal, said: ‘The council chose to move the man even while his wife was raising her concerns about the impact this would have, and she has told me she felt ignored and not respected throughout the process.
‘Sadly, this was avoidable distress that she endured due to how the council managed the situation.’
A spokesperson for Essex County Council said: ‘We are not able to comment on individual cases. However, we acknowledge the Ombudsman’s recommendations and are committed to implementing them.’
