A VULNERABLE man remained at risk from poor care for more than 18 months because of Wirral Council safeguarding failings, an investigation has found.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman launched an investigation after the un-named mans' son, who lived 200 miles away, raised concerns about the quality of care his father received and charges relating to that care.

The man, whose health conditions and disabilities meant he had significant difficulty with mobility and completing daily living tasks, received daily visits from agency care workers arranged by the council.

But his son had concerns about carer workers cutting their visits short, despite not meeting his father's needs properly.

The ombudsman's investigation found the council at fault for closing a safeguarding investigation without completing it and for failing to comply with its own procedures.

It also found the father was placed at a "significant and avoidable risk of harm over at least 18 months" because calls were cut short despite his needs not being met safely; care workers were not trained properly, and signed for medication they did not give, putting him at increased risk of seizures.

The Ombudsman also found found the council at fault for how it handled the son’s complaint.

It demanded the authority apologise to the man's son and outline action it intends to take to avoid similar problems in future.

It also said the council should refer the case to the local safeguarding board for review.

A Council spokesman said the authority accepted the report's findings, was implementing all recommendations made within it and offered its fullest apologies to the family.

Michael King, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, said: "When relatives raise concerns about vulnerable people's care, it is of paramount importance that councils act promptly to ensure people are safe.

"Regrettably, in this case this did not happen, and the father was left at risk for far too long.

"Unfortunately, we cannot now put this right for the father because he has passed away.

"But the measures I have recommended to the council should improve procedures to prevent instances such as this from happening to others."

The man first raised concerns about his father's care and the amounts he was being charged in August 2016.

A council review identified care workers had not been using a hoist and sling for transfers and the assessor was concerned the methods being used were not safe.

Further complaints from the son listed issues such as medication not being administered, the father not being strapped into his wheelchair properly leaving him at risk of falling, and workers not washing up after meal times or dealing with soiled bedding and clothes hygienically.

However, it took the council two months to identify the issues may be a safeguarding risk.

When an officer visited the father, she was told a hoist had fallen over with him in it and there had been problems with medication not being administered even though it had been signed for.

The son also raised concerns about invoices for his father's care and the threatening letters his father was receiving about payments.

He asked council workers to send the invoices to him rather than his father.

The council statement continued: "The authority has since significantly improved the way domiciliary care is managed and kept under review to accommodate changes in circumstances and ensure care packages meet people's needs as they change over time, and the level of care commissioned is appropriate to the needs of each individual who receives this care."

"The Council's aim is to ensure each of those who receive domiciliary care have their needs fully met by a care package which works flexibly to meet their specific needs, and that if there are complaints these are dealt with quickly and fairly.

"We accept that in the case highlighted by the Ombudsman this did not happen.

"We apologise for this and can reassure residents that we have comprehensively reviewed and improved our complaint handling procedures.

"We also accept the Ombudsman's recommendation to waive 50% of the care fees owed by the family and make an additional payment of £200 to remedy the frustration and stress it caused them.

"In light of the issues raised by the Ombudsman's investigation the Council has also worked closely with care providers who work on our behalf to ensure staff are fully trained in safeguarding and administering medication to ensure that now and in the future these issues are dealt with promptly and appropriately."