- Mabel Massey, 80, was under the care of Sheffield social services
- She developed bed sores which later became infected causing her death
- Safe-guarding review found she was a victim of ‘institutional neglect’
- Her daughter is now taking legal action against two home care companies
Kate Pickles For Mailonline
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A pensioner was found screaming in agony after being stuck in a wheelchair for four with appalling bed sores which she later died from.
Sobbing Mabel Massey, 80, was found by district nurses who discovered she had been left in the seat with no foot supports.
The 80-year-old died the following month after the pressure sores on her buttocks – which developed during her home care – became infected.
An investigation by social services later concluded she had been the victim of ‘institutional neglect’.
Mabel Massey died as a result of ‘institutional neglect’ an investigation bot Sheffield social services found, when be
Mrs Massey went downhill rapidly after coming under the care of Sheffield social services in April 2014, an inquest was told earlier this year.
Despite daily visits by carers from a private firm, by August 2014 she had developed two ulcers which measured 7x2cm and 5x6cm.
She was provided with a specialised pressure relieving mattress to sleep on but was not consistently turned, according to a safeguarding report by Sheffield Council.
Medication and food supplements were also routinely missed.
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When she was first admitted to hospital in July 2014 with a urinary tract infection. doctors were concerned by red marks across her buttocks and base of her spine.
But it is not clear whether instructions were passed to the daily carers regarding pressure relief, turning, tilting or using a hoist.
Just six days after she was sent home from hospital, Mrs Massey was found in her wheelchair at 11.30am by her district nurses.
She was crying in pain having been left in the chair without foot plates for four hours, the inquest was told.
Mrs Massey was examined by the district nurse who found extensive skin loss to both buttocks and a v-shaped shearing mark.
An urgent review by social services found the correct pressure relieving equipment was provided, but there was concern about the handling skills of her carers.
On August 8, Mrs Massey was admitted to a nursing home for respite care and found to have Grade II tissue damage and two ulcers.
Despite daily visits by carers, Mrs Massey developed two ulcers, which measured 7x2cm and 5x6cm and later became infected, and died the following month
Mrs Massey returned to her home in Gleadless, Sheffield, ten days later under the care of a different private nursing agency.
But within days she was back in hospital and it was noted that the tissue damage had increased to between grade three and grade four of the EPUAP grade scale.
She developed an infection and died the following month from sepsis and decreased plasma in the blood as well as with sacral sore bleeding.
A safeguarding report, carried out by Sheffield City Council concluded the tragedy followed institutional neglect.
At the inquest in March, Coroner Christopher Dorries also highlighted a number of failures between some of the agencies including early recognition of pressure ulcer risks.
Mrs Massey’s daughter Barbara Dawson, 56, from Charnock, Sheffield, is now taking legal action against the two home care companies involved.
She said: ‘My mother died completely without dignity and in pain. My concerns were ignored and I was made to feel like a nuisance for raising issues.
‘I felt like I had to sit back and watch my mother suffer. I want people to know what happened to her so that lessons can be learned and it doesn’t happen to anyone else.’
Stacey Hanson, medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, representing her, said Mrs Dawson was still struggling to come to terms with her mother’s death.
‘Everyone deserves to be treated with care and dignity when they are no longer able to look after themselves, but Barbara feels this did not happen in her mother’s case,’ she said.
‘Sheffield City Council’s safeguarding report, along with the Coroner’s findings last year, support her concerns.
‘We’re continuing to gather evidence of Mabel’s care in the last five months of her life and hope that lessons can be learned to prevent anyone else suffering as she did.’
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