74498-22SWINDON social services has been accused of putting up a stone wall to vulnerable people.

The criticism comes as a Swindon woman fights to get an apology from the council over the care given to her mother.

Valerie Ferrell cared for her mother for more than 10 years, only occasionally going away to visit her own children and leaving her mum Queenie Lea in respite care.

During one of these stays Mrs Lea, 92, had a fall but, despite Mrs Ferrell having asked to be told if anything happened, she was not contacted.

"When I went to pick her up to bring her home she had bruises on her chin and arms and legs," Mrs Ferrell said. "When I asked her what happened she could barely talk she was hurting so much.

"They said they had had her checked out and she seemed okay so they didn't feel it necessary to contact me."

Mrs Ferrell took her mother home but was so worried about her she phoned the doctor who admitted Mrs Lea to hospital that night. Six weeks later, in February last year, she died in hospital.

"I feel as if my mother was a speck of dust blown away in the wind and nobody cared," Mrs Ferrell said.

She has been asking for an apology for not being told about the fall but has still not received one, despite an independent report into the incident which says the council should say sorry.

Michael Wills, MP for North Swindon, said the case is typical of the standard of social services, which has been given a zero-star rating for three years running.

"This case in which my constituent has been treated so badly underlines yet again how far Swindon social services has still got to go before they start delivering an adequate and appropriate service for the people of Swindon," he said.

"I have been pushing for Mrs Ferrell to get an appropriate response for over a year and I am still waiting. This is not acceptable.

"Everyone involved needs to understand how vulnerable and sensitive people feel in these situations. They need support not a stone wall."

Sarah Deacon, spokeswoman for the council, said: "We do not discuss individual cases. What we can do is reassure people that an inquiry has been undertaken and a report has been published."

She added that a follow-up letter was being sent to Mrs Lea's relatives with the department's response to the report.

Isabel Field