Coroner hits out at nursing home where Liverpool gran received “appalling care”

A CORONER has hit out at a nursing home where a Liverpool gran received “appalling care”. Gillian Moore had six sores on her legs, mouth ulcers and rotten teeth when she died.

The 54-year-old, from Wavertree, also had filthy, matted hair and her grieving son was advised not to see her body.

Mrs Moore, who had Alzheimer’s and needed round-the-clock help, was moved by Liverpool council from her original nursing home in Dovecot to Forest Manor care home, in Nottinghamshire, to be closer to her son Mark and twin granddaughters.

But Nottingham coroner Dr Nigel Chapman claimed she was not allowed to “die with dignity” at an inquest into her death.

He said he raised concerns about Forest Manor after a resident died in December last year – but social services did not investigate.

Dr Chapman said: “The care was appalling.

“These people, whatever age they are, deserve the best care and to be able to die with dignity and be well looked after and she was not.

“The nursing care was all very poor. It became highlighted because they tried to give her penicillin but she was allergic to it.

“The case notes had not been transferred. The GP did not even bother to read them.”

Dr Chapman added: “She was transferred from Liverpool.

“Do Liverpool not make any checks when they send people out?”

Mrs Moore, a gran-of-three who used to work in Lune Laundry, in Lawrence Road, arrived at Forest Manor in September last year and died in April after a week in hospital.

Her son Mark, whose dad Raymond still lives in Rathbone Road, said: “How she was treated in that home absolutely disgusted me.

“They took her dignity off her in her life and took her dignity off her in her death as well.”

Forest Manor is run by Essex-based Hallmark Healthcare.

The £594-a-week home was given a zero star “poor” rating when it was inspected by the Care Quality Commission in May, a month after Mrs Moore died.

The inquest last week recorded a verdict of death by natural causes, but said the pressure sores contributed to Mrs Moore’s ill health.

She died after a massive blood clot lodged in her lungs.

Jennifer Lowe, from EAD solicitors, is investigating Mrs Moore’s care.

Ms Lowe said: “Gillian’s family feel she was let down by the very people who should have been protecting her. We will be investigating the standard of care she received at Forest Manor.”