News

Two councils have accepted recommendations made by independent inquiries into the case of a man with a severe learning difficulty who was "abandoned" at a residential home for almost 12 years.

Northamptonshire and Essex Councils each launched independent inquiries after the Registered Homes Tribunal severely criticised them for failing to protect the man from appalling living conditions. Both inquiries have now reported their findings to the respective councils.

The man, known as AT, was placed in a care home in Northamptonshire by Essex Council, which failed to review his case properly for almost 12 years.

His plight was eventually uncovered by the Northants registration and inspection unit, but the tribunal found it was guilty of an "inexcusable" delay before removing AT from the home.

The tribunal concluded earlier this year that AT had been kept locked in his room in "conditions of squalor and degradation" which were "an affront to human dignity", and that "local authorities who should have been in a position to protect his human rights had appeared to have failed in their duty of care".

Leo Bishop, director of learning difficulty services in Essex, said: "I deeply regret any distress caused to the family of AT.

"However, the findings from the independent inquiry demonstrate that this is an isolated case and doesn't reflect the practice across the county."

Bishop said Essex social services were "committed to implementing all of the recommendations in the report to ensure that this kind of situation doesn't happen again".

Recommendations include the need to create closer links with Essex's own inspection unit, and to improve cross boundary working and staff training.

A spokeswoman for Essex social services said it was unlikely that someone in AT's position would now be placed outside the county. She said the council's current policy was to place clients near networks of family and friends. AT is now living in a home near his sister in Essex.

A version of the Essex report is expected to be published within the next few weeks.

The review into the actions taken by the Northants registration and inspection unit was also launched in the wake of the tribunal's criticisms. It, too, made a series of recommendations.

These included ensuring that inspectors focus all inspections on the quality of life of residents, and that systems for recording and co-ordinating investigations into complaints are tightened up.

A council spokeswoman said: "The council has accepted all the recommendations and is already taking steps to carry them out."