Express & Star

Police probe on 50 care home deaths

The deaths of more than 50 care home residents were investigated by specialist police officers in the West Midlands last year.

Published

In total, the squad looked at 721 alleged offences against vulnerable adults.

A team of 20 specially-trained officers looks into cases of ill-treatment by care staff and allegations such as vulnerable people being manipulated for their money.

Inspector Julie Woods leads the Vulnerable Adults Unit.

She said the team looked into a total of 56 care home deaths in 2014, with a 'handful' resulting in prosecutions. Many more of their investigations resulted in staff being struck off.

Insp Woods said: "The vast majority of concerns reported to us will not amount to neglect but it's clearly important to be thorough to make sure there's no foul play.

"We work closely with care home managers to ensure that any cause for concern is nipped in the bud and together helping to raise standards of care."

The team last week helped convict carer Julie Hamilton, who was jailed for abusing an 88-year-old dementia sufferer.

Julie Hamilton

An investigation uncovered that 54-year-old Hamilton deprived the frail woman of food and water. She also falsified records in a bid to disguise her cruelty.

Her campaign of ill-treatment lasted for weeks and also saw her forcibly feed her victim.

On one occasion, food meant for the 88-year-old was poured down the sink, while at other times Hamilton ate food for the victim herself.

Insp Woods said the unit worked closely with bodies like the Care Quality Commission, councils and charities to tackle abuse and raise standards of care.

She added: "The team receives regular inputs from expert speakers on issues like mental health and dementia, plus are trained in specialist, complex areas of legislation like the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

"We're also involved in projects like Dementia Friends and 'Twiddlemuffs' ? a knitting project that creates hand muffs to stimulate dementia patients ? as it's important for our officers to truly understand these kinds of conditions.

"It's a challenging role ? often we're taking up cases on behalf of people who can't speak out for themselves, people who don't have the mental capacity to support a prosecution ? but it's rewarding when we are able to convict offenders who mistreat vulnerable people."

Hamilton, of Hunts Lane, Short Heath, Willenhall, was jailed for two months.

Her neglect was exposed by a fellow carer who concealed a pin-hole camera inside an alarm clock positioned in the kitchen and lounge.

It showed Hamilton barking orders like 'open your mouth' when feeding the lady and giving her no time to swallow or digest food.

Detectives examined 19 clips caught on the camera between May and June last year.

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.