At a press conference on Monday morning, Uddevalla municipality presented the investigation into the scandal within the home care services, where around 20 night staff were suspended after seriously neglecting and disregarding their duties.
This summer, Samnytt reported that the investigation revealed serious neglect where elderly individuals were subjected to suffering, shedding light on a growing national problem with staff shortages in elderly care.
According to incident reports accessed by the municipality, elderly individuals were left half-naked in their wheelchairs all night, denied help to use the toilet or change incontinence pads, and had their medication delayed or missed entirely.
The external investigation, the results of which have now been presented, was conducted by the consulting firm Ernst & Young and cost Uddevalla municipality 360,000 SEK. The reason for choosing an external investigation was the assessment that it was directly inappropriate for the social services committee to investigate these serious shortcomings themselves.
“They have contributed to developing the culture that has existed within the night patrol and failed to take their responsibility. There is no place in our organization for this type of leadership,” said Martin Pettersson, chairman of the municipal council (SD).
Extensive shortcomings
The review was tasked with answering three questions:
What shortcomings have been identified?
Have the shortcomings been addressed?
Has the information chain functioned?
The review points to several shortcomings and that workplace problems within the night home care services have occurred for a long time.
READ ALSO: Home care services in Uddevalla suspends 20 employees after evaluation
Already in 2020, an investigation into the working environment within the night home care services found violations against employees and managers, conflicts, informal leaders, and a group that did not follow procedures.
The new external review shows that managers at both unit and department levels have not acted sufficiently to improve the working environment, with shortcomings and problems allowed to continue, measures being inadequate, and the effects of interventions not being followed up.
Two lose their jobs
Of the managers who worked in 2020, most are no longer employed today, but of those who remain, the municipality considers that two former department managers should have acted more forcefully to stop the shortcomings. One manager has agreed to terminate their employment, while the other manager is suspended and has been notified of termination.
“As a manager, one must take responsibility and prioritize those we are here for. In this case, that has not been done. Then one does not have the trust to work as a manager in Uddevalla municipality,” said municipal director Malin Krantz.