Devon Care Workers Suspended

Two care workers have been suspended after being accused of falsely logging reports that they visited an 83-year-old woman at home – when she was said to be in hospital.

It was claimed that notes were made on three consecutive days in a log book showing that Wilhelmina Dart had been seen by carers. The notes said she had been seen and that she was all right.

However, relatives were shocked by the notes because they said Mrs Dart had not been in her Exmouth house. She had had a stroke on February 23 and had been in hospital ever since, they said.

Two workers have been suspended pending disciplinary proceedings.

Devon County Council, which commissions services from the health care provider 1st React, launched an investigation into the misconduct.

Yesterday the health care company apologised for the upset caused to the family and said two workers had been suspended.

Mrs Dart’s daughter Patricia Handford claims the carers, who were trusted and paid to visit Mrs Dart every day to check she was all right, had not even looked to see if she was in the house.

Mrs Handford said she was “furious” when she read the notes in the diary.

“I think they just came in and didn’t bother to check on my mum,” she said.