Three Lex Sarah reports were submitted to the Luleå Social Services Administration during a single week in August. The reports concern, among other things, a client who spent the night in a communal area while their own bed was covered in feces, a person who allegedly was not offered help with toileting, and a suspected theft at a municipal residence.

Lex Sarah means that staff within care services are obliged to report misconduct or significant risks of misconduct. If an incident is deemed serious, the matter can be referred to the Health and Social Care Inspectorate, IVO.

In the first case, the morning staff reacted when they found a client sitting in the common room. According to the night staff’s report, the person had been there for virtually the entire night.

When the staff then entered the client’s apartment, they discovered feces all over the bed—on the pillows, the blanket, and the sheets. The diaper the client was wearing was also full of feces.

The incident was reported under Lex Sarah because the situation was not discovered and addressed sooner.

The second report concerns a client who, according to information, had not had a bowel movement in four days. At the same time, there is no documentation showing that the person was offered daily bathroom visits.

The report points out the risk of constipation, but also describes as degrading the situation where a person is forced to relieve themselves in a diaper without having been offered support for toilet visits.

The third incident involves a suspected theft at a municipal residence.

The suspicion arose when the staff was about to take a client out for a walk and retrieved the person’s wallet. It was then discovered that cash was missing.

The client’s daughter had previously ensured that there was money in the wallet for unforeseen expenses. According to the daughter, it was about 1,000 SEK or more, which she had placed in a cupboard. The incident has been reported to the police.

The Social Services Administration is now investigating the three incidents. Lena Johansson at the Luleå Social Services Administration states that it is currently not possible to say what the investigations will lead to.