A home carer unintentionally fed an elderly woman microwaved dog food, according to an investigation.
The incident occurred in June 2024 when a carer from Radis Community Care logged a meal from the client's freezer as a "lamb dinner." A second carer later identified the food's packaging, which was labeled "fresh take on dog food" and "for adult dogs and puppies," and realized the mistake. The woman consumed three mouthfuls of the food.
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman's report detailed the dog food incident as one of several "abysmal failures" in care provided over a three-month period. In April 2024, the Portsmouth City Council initiated a safeguarding inquiry following complaints from the woman's family. The inquiry uncovered concerns that Radis staff had logged visits that did not occur, provided stale and inedible food, and left the woman in wet conditions or in darkness overnight. The report also noted that the woman's Do Not Attempt Resuscitation document was found crumpled in a cupboard.
The woman died from frailty of old age approximately one month after the dog food incident.
In response to the findings, Portsmouth City Council stated that it no longer commissions services from Radis Community Care. Both the council and Radis Community Care have issued apologies for the substandard care. The investigation's findings were published by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.