Woman settles with council over father’s death after seven year safeguarding dispute

By The Press Association17th March 2016News EnglandAdult Care, Kent, Local Authorities, News England, Vulnerable Adults

The daughter of a vulnerable man who suffered safeguarding failings has finally reached a civil settlement with a council nearly seven years after his death.

Ian Sunter, who has Alzheimer’s, died aged 58 in May 2009 after being found with serious injuries in his sheltered housing facility in Sheerness, Kent.

Campaigners for Mr Sunter’s daughter, Rachel Sunter, who has battled for years to uncover the truth, said that by the end of his life he had not got out of bed or eaten for days.

Mr Sunter – who was being supported by Kent County Council’s (KCC) adult social care at the time of his death – spoke to his daughter every day.

But he had started to drink heavily, fell victim to exploitation, became socially isolated and was too ashamed to reveal the scale of his problems to her.

A Serious Case Review (SCR) published in 2013 found he might be “reached” by services after he had previously worked with professionals to seek help for homelessness and later his alcohol use.

But there was a “confused approach” to adult protection arrangements when it emerged he was probably being exploited and abused.

And police missed opportunities to identify and respond to the safeguarding implications of information received from officers, with incidents treated in isolation, the SCR found.

Lawyers at Bindmans LLP said a civil claim brought by Ms Sunter has now finally been reached with KCC, following an inquest last year.

Ms Sunter said: “I was fobbed off by Kent County Council and Kent Police, but I felt very strongly that my dad’s death was avoidable and that he’d been written off as a drunk and allowed to die.

“It was only by getting a solicitor and pursuing it via the coroner’s inquest that I was able to get anyone to take notice, and finally started getting some answers.

“Kent County Council say that their adult safeguarding procedures have been improved. I really hope that this does not happen to any other families.”

Ms Sunter’s solicitor, Sara Lomri, of Bindmans, said the failure by the council and others to admit failings at an early stage had compounded Ms Sunter’s grief.

Andrew Ireland, the council’s corporate director for social care, health and well-being, said training and checks, and the SCR was launched immediately after Mr Sunter’s death.

He said: “We accept that, although not responsible for Mr Sunter’s death, efforts by KCC and its partner agencies to safeguard Mr Sunter in the months leading to his death were not good enough.”

Mr Ireland said more effective co-ordination has been implemented between partner agencies when dealing with vulnerable adults.

He added: “All agencies have a strong understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities and staff are aware of the procedures to follow when it is suspected that a vulnerable adult is being exploited.

“The safety and well-being of vulnerable adults is our top priority.”