Council shells out £3k to disabled woman who feared being ‘left to die’

Islington Town Hall. Photograph: Islington Citizen

The local government and social care watchdog has condemned Islington Council for leaving a disabled resident in a “state of neglect”, despite her having “obvious and significant” needs.

The Town Hall has apologised and agreed to pay £3,000 in compensation to the woman, ‘Ms X’, who feared she would be “left to die” as she waited for a social care assessment and care package from the council.

After she was discharged from hospital in March 2023, the woman’s GP and occupational therapists told the Town Hall she was in need of “urgent” support, but officers insisted there was no capacity to prioritise her case.

In October that year, Ms X emailed the local authority to tell them she was housebound and had not had a bath or shower for 12 months.

The council then allocated a senior social worker to the case who visited her within a week, but the assessment was not completed until December – nine months after the woman first left the hospital.

No budget had been put in place for a care package by the time Ms X complained to the Ombudsman in April 2024.

In June, she was hospitalised for a second time – without yet receiving any payments towards her care.

Local government and social care watchdog Amerdeep Somal. Photograph: Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman / free for use by LDRS partners

Ms Amerdeep Somal, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, said it was “incomprehensible” that the council had not provided care and support “with the evidence available and the number of contacts [it] has had”.

The report found the council had caused “avoidable distress and uncertainty” by delaying the social care assessment, support plan and the agreement of a direct payment.

It noted that Ms X had several long-term conditions “which affect her ability to complete most activities of daily living”.

Cllr Flora Williamson, executive member for health and social care, told the Citizen she was “sorry for the impact this has had on Ms X”.

“The council is determined to make Islington a more equal place, where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, and on this occasion we did not live up to our own standards,” she said.

“We have written to Ms X to apologise for the avoidable distress and frustration suffered, as well as the delays in assessing her needs and providing the identified care and support.

“I am grateful to Ms X for raising her case with us.”

The health and social care chief confirmed the council had “carefully considered” and accepted the watchdog’s report on the case and had already implemented all of its recommendations in full.

She added that the Town Hall had made improvements to the way it prioritises cases for social care assessments, and now offers interim care packages for eligible residents with unmet needs.

Ms Somal said she was “pleased the council has accepted my recommendations to improve the way it prioritises cases in its waiting list”.

“I hope this ensures people with such serious needs do not go without vital support for too long in future.”

The council leadership will consider the report at its meeting on 22 May 2025, after which the local authority will make a formal response and set out the action it has already taken in response.