Care team gave my dad mouldy bread, Dartford woman claims
The mouldy bread served
to a Dartford man
A care team has been replaced after
claims it served an elderly man mouldy bread for breakfast.
The black and green mould was on
several slices of bread that were allegedly then spread with butter
and jam.
It was the latest in a series of
concerns the man's family had raised with Kent County Council
social services over the way he was being looked after by the care
team from Dawn to Dusk.
This time the family produced photographic evidence.
KCC says there have been no other
complaints about the firm.
The man, who did not wish to be named,
is a resident of Thatcher's Court, a sheltered scheme in
Dartford.
Mouldy bread served to a
Dartford man by Kent County Council-appointed carers Dawn to Dusk
Community Care
His 55-year-old daughter Rita Sinnix,
of Beech Road, Dartford, said they repeatedly complained about the
treatment provided by the care firm, Dawn to Dusk Community Care in
Crayford.
"Some of them were really nice," she
said, "But others left everything to be desired."
She said her father is very
independent and does not like people coming into his home.
That was why they insisted only one
carer at a time should visit him.
However, several times Dawn to Dusk
sent in a carer and a trainee, and it caused anxiety for her
father, said Mrs Sinnix.
After repeatedly complaining to Kent
social services in Gravesend, the family was told by Dawn to Dusk
they were no longer able to offer care to the 75-year-old man and
withdrew the service.
KCC quickly appointed an alternative
team from another agency.
"We are so much happier with them,"
said Mrs Sinnix.
Dawn Mills, owner of Dawn to Dusk,
declined to comment.
"I cannot confirm anything," she said.
"I suggest you talk to social services."
A KCC spokesman said: "When we were
informed about the family's concerns about the care the gentleman
was receiving we worked with them and the agency to resolve these
issues.
"When the issues continued, we made
the decision, with the family, to change the agency providing care
to him.
"The family has confirmed the new care
package is working well."
They said: "We looked into whether
other service users had suffered difficulties with this agency but
no other problems had arisen.
"We monitor the standards of
domiciliary care providers on a regular basis. High quality of care
is our priority."
20/02/13