Independent Review - Hazel Garth Care Home closure ‘must never happen again’
Tuesday, August 27, 2024
The Independent Review into the Council’s decision to close Hazel Garth Residential Home in Knottingley is published today, Tuesday 27 August.
The review concludes that the closure “should not have happened in the way it did and must never happen again”. And it outlines the “profound effect on residents, their families and all the staff affected by this decision” which has “caused harm and distress” to everyone affected.
“I’m deeply sorry to the residents, their families, and our staff at Hazel Garth for the impact this decision had on them.
“I’ve listened to some extremely distressing stories from the families. The extent to which we let them down is starkly set out in the independent report. And the seriousness of the failings underlines how this must never be allowed to happen again.
“I’d like to thank Janet Waggott for doing such a comprehensive job on the report, and to everyone who contributed to it. It makes for very difficult reading. But it now provides us with a basis to make decisive changes to how we care for our vulnerable adults, building on the first steps we’ve already taken.
“Only by continuing to be open, transparent and by implementing a clear improvement plan will we start to rebuild the trust of everyone in our care who relies on us.”
Cllr Denise Jeffery
Leader of Wakefield Council
Hazel Garth in Knottingley is a residential care home for older people living with dementia. In May 2024, Council officers decided to close the home and quickly move the 6 residents into alternative accommodation. In June 2024 the Leader of Wakefield Council and the Chief Executive of Wakefield Council commissioned an independent review into the decision.
The review was carried out over a seven-week period this summer by former Local Government Chief Executive Janet Waggott. It focused on what happened at Hazel Garth, what went wrong, and what lessons the Council needs to learn.
The wide-ranging final report finds that there wasn’t enough focus on the needs of residents. Decisions, including the moving of residents from their homes within a 24 to 48-hour period, were not justified. And the Council’s decision-making procedures were not followed properly.
It also identifies failings in leadership and management, including challenges with organisational culture in adult social care, as well as on staffing, training, and buildings maintenance. The investigation identified that information was not shared with families, staff, and senior politicians which they needed to know.
Janet Waggott, Independent Reviewer, said: ‘I’d like to thank everyone who gave up their time and shared their knowledge and experience to contribute to the review into the decision to close Hazel Garth.
“In particular, this has been very emotional and difficult for the families of the residents affected, for the staff who have cared for the residents of Hazel Garth in their home, and for the social workers who worked so hard to find suitable alternative homes for residents in such a short space of time.
“I hope that by clearly setting out what happened, what went wrong, and making a series of recommendations for lessons the Council needs to learn, they feel that it was worthwhile contributing to the review.
“I’m reassured by the decisive action the Council has already taken ahead of the review being published. I’ve noted that my recommendations have been accepted in full and that the Council is committed to implementing them. That work now needs to happen swiftly so that a decision like the one at Hazel Garth never happens again.”
Wakefield Council has already taken a series of proactive improvement steps over the summer. Those have included apologising to residents’ families and holding an initial meeting with them. Strengthening leadership in adult social care, including by providing more leadership visibility at Hazel Garth. And the Leader of the Council providing an update to Council on 24 July.
A review of Cabinet portfolios has created a new portfolio focused specifically on Adult Social Care and a joint review of the leadership model for integrated health and social care has been commissioned, with the Corporate Director voluntarily stepping aside from her Council role during that review.
“We give a cast iron commitment today to residents, their families, and to our staff that what happened at Hazel Garth will never happen again.
“We fully accept all of the recommendations from the review and will now be totally transparent about our improvement plan and how we move forward.
“We’re making fundamental changes to make sure we deliver the level of care our older people and their families want and deserve, and are determined to rebuild the trust of everyone we so badly let down at Hazel Garth.”
Cllr Michelle Collins
Cabinet Member for Adults and Health
Wakefield Council’s Cabinet will formally consider the Independent Review at the Cabinet Meeting on Tuesday 17 September, alongside an improvement plan setting out how the recommendations will be implemented.
You can read the full independent review into the decision to close Hazel Garth Residential Care Home here.