BBC Information, South East
A council has apologised after one in every of its tenants lay useless in her Surrey flat for greater than three years.
Laura Winham, 41, was discovered useless in her flat in Woking by her mom and brother in Could 2021.
Following the conclusion of the inquest into Ms Winham’s loss of life on Tuesday, Woking Borough Council apologised for failings inside its housing service.
“The tragic occasions that led to her loss of life and the missed alternatives to find her physique ought to by no means have been allowed to occur,” mentioned Louise Strongitharm, the council’s strategic director for communities.
Ms Winham was a weak girl with schizophrenia who had twice been sectioned and had lower ties along with her household as a result of she thought they have been attempting to hurt her.
The inquest heard how Ms Winham’s physique was “mummified and nearly skeletal” when it was discovered at her council flat in Devonshire Avenue.
Her trigger and time of loss of life couldn’t be decided however a calendar within the flat was crossed off till 1 November 2017.
Ms Winham’s mom and brother discovered her stays after attempting to make contact when her father’s well being was deteriorating.
Failings
Coroner Karen Henderson mentioned Woking Borough Council, its former property supervisor New Imaginative and prescient Houses, the Division for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Surrey County Council had all missed alternatives to assist Ms Winham.
Responding, Ms Strongitharm mentioned: “We wish to lengthen our deepest sympathies to Laura’s household.
“Woking Borough Council accepts the coroner’s findings and people of the Surrey Safeguarding Grownup Evaluation, which recognized failings inside our housing service alongside shortcomings by different businesses. For that we’re actually sorry.”
Ms Strongitharm mentioned the council is dedicated to addressing the problems raised and has begun to implement modifications.
She mentioned the council introduced its housing providers again in-house in April 2022 to have higher management over the way it helps weak tenants.
Claire Edgar, govt director of adults, wellbeing and well being partnerships at Surrey County Council, additionally apologised.
“I’m sorry Laura didn’t get the help she wanted and I do know that the service has labored arduous to behave on studying from this case,” she mentioned.
“We are going to rigorously think about the coroner’s findings in order that every part potential is finished to make it possible for our follow is nearly as good as it may be.”
The coroner mentioned the DWP ought to have acted after Ms Winham’s Incapacity Residing Allowance profit was stopped as a result of she didn’t apply for a Private Independence Fee.
On Wednesday, a spokesperson for the DWP instructed the BBC its condolences stay with Ms Winham’s household.
The division has launched new steerage on the right way to safely cease funds to weak claimants, the spokesperson added.
New Imaginative and prescient Houses was contacted for remark.
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