NORTHAMPTON PARTNERSHIP HOMES
16th April 2015
Stage 1 complaint regarding events up to and following 2nd December 2014
On the 21st July 2014 I contacted you to collect some diversity information from you and during the phone call you were very upset, crying and sounded distressed. I was concerned for your for your welfare and asked Julie Clark your Housing Officer to attend your property and see if she could make contact with you to check on your welfare. Julie attended that day but you did not open the door. As we continued to be concerned for your welfare Julie checked your tenancy notes and contacted your next of kin Brian Mitchell. Brian explained to us that you were suffering with swollen legs.
On 16th September 2014 you emailed Julie and asked “can I have a guarantee that any conversation will be confidential between the two of us?” To which Julie replied “Yes all conversations are confidential”. I have discussed this with Julie Clark and she confirms that she she did not take this question from you to mean she could not liaise with Brian Mitchell who was noted as your next of kin on our system and who you had previously advised we could liaise with.
On the 2nd December 2014 Julie received an email from Brian Mitchell saying he had not heard from you for weeks and that he was concerned about you and asked if Julie knew if you were OK. Julie confirms she knows that your preferred method of contact is email rather phone so she emailed you asking if you were OK. When she did not receive a response from you she with another colleague Karl Owen attended your property. On visiting the property both members of staff made attempts to verify if you were in the property by knocking on the door, speaking to a neighbour, looking through the windows and looking through the letterbox. All of these practices are common in cases where we have concerns for a tenant's welfare. When there was no answer, a neighbour confirmed they had not heard or seen you and there was a smell coming from the letterbox the decision was made to gain entry to check your welfare should you be in the property. Julie and Karl entered your property and checked each room lastly checking your bedroom where you were lying on the floor and you were unresponsive. You switched a light on and they explained that they would try to move the door so they could get in to you. When accessing your bedroom you spoke but weren't coherent and were pale. Julie called the ambulance whilst Karl tried to keep you awake and talking.When the ambulance attended they said you were dehydrated and they took you to hospital for treatment.
When entry was gained to your property this resulted in a lock change due to the damage to your previous lock. Karl placed 2 of the 3 new keys on to your key ring and these were given to you which you took to the hospital. Julie confirms that she asked if you wanted a key to be kept for your friend and you agreed. Julie never saw Brian to give him a key so no key was ever handed to Brian. Julie did keep a hold of your key which she shouldn't have done but she never had any intention to gain entry to your property. She expected contact regards collection of the key but as you went to stay with Brian over Christmas time passed and she forgot that she had a key. When you returned and asked about the key Julie duly returned this to you by posting through your front door.
Kind regards
Miss C Kennedy
Acting Tenancy Services Team Leader
0300 330 7003 | 01604 838735
ckennedy@northamptonpartnershiphomes.org
