Horrible images of a vulnerable mother nearly drowning in vomit were captured on video by a family concerned with the care their mother was getting at a Ewell nursing home.
The hidden camera footage shows 83-year-old Sheila Morris being left alone overnight despite suffering from advanced Parkinson’s disease which impairs her ability to swallow.
Her family said she was being “fast-tracked for the morgue” at Priory Court Care Home, and tried to move her elsewhere. But their efforts were delayed because they did not have power of attorney and needed to wait for Surrey County Council to take the lead.
There were further frustrations, the family said, because of a "spurious” abuse claim against the son, based on him asking whether putting a spoon in her mouth could help her to swallow more comfortably.
Despite instructions, Sheila Morris was given food her children did not consider 'Fork Mashable'
They insist she was given ‘dangerous’ food and not given sufficient fluid levels during her 16-month stay at the home in Old Schools Lane, Ewell, and that she suffered eight UTIs (urinary tract infections) while at the home. At her new care home in Kingston, Sheila Morris has not had a single UTI.
Mrs Morris was at Priory Court between March 2015 and July 2016.
Surrey County Council's social services department is responsible for care at homes such as Priory Court. It claims concerns were investigated “thoroughly” and “urgently”, but were “found to be unsupported”. A spokesman added social services continue to be in touch with Mrs Morris.
Clive and Paula Morris said they have not been asked for the footage, and so the council could not have “thoroughly” investigated their claims.
Hidden camera footage shows Mrs Morris being left alone overnight, before carers discover her in the morning covered in vomit
Mrs Morris’ children set up the camera in their mother's room because they no longer trusted the home. The footage shows carers failed to check on Mrs Morris between about 11.30pm and 6am on May 4-5 (2016) while she was violently sick overnight.
Her son Clive says she was not put to bed in a safe position, and that she could have drowned on her vomit and died.
His concerns about her positioning prompted him to leave a note for his mother’s carers at her bedside, which stated: “Please keep Sheila’s head raised/sat up a bit when in bed – ta.”
Mr Morris said: "I think she has been fast-tracked for the morgue.
“My sister and I are the ones staying there.
“We’re paying over £1,000 a week. We’re doing the work.
“We were prepared to give up our lives and careers to do this.”
Clive and Paula Morris reported the care home to health watchdog the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in February 2016. Following an assessment in March, CQC inspectors rated the care home “Good”, and certified the service at Priory Court “Safe”.
From April: Priory Court Care Home in Old Schools Lane, Ewell upgraded to 'good' weeks after Norovirus outbreak
A week before the CQC report came out in April, a suspected outbreak of Norovirus – also known as winter vomiting bug – caused the temporary closure of dementia unit at the home.
From April: Suspected norovirus outbreak shuts dementia care unit at Priory Court Care Home in Ewell Village
“I was annoyed about the norovirus (outbreak) in the week following because it was putting her at risk, and she should not have been there,” Mr Morris said.
“If she got norovirus it could’ve been fatal.”
Priory Court Care Home in Old Schools Lane, Ewell
At the time, John Cunningham, Chief Operating Officer for St Cloud Care had said there were “occasional outbreaks of this nature within care homes.”
But Mr Morris disputes this. He said: “I have had the misfortune of sampling many care homes in the Surrey care system, and I have never known it as normal for homes to get norovirus.”
Sheila Morris
A county council spokesman said: “Protecting vulnerable people is our priority so the concerns raised about care at the home were investigated thoroughly as a matter of urgency but were found to be unsupported.
“We remain in contact with Mrs Morris to ensure all her concerns have been met and responded to.”
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