Woman fed dog food by Portsmouth carers shortly before death
The lamb dinner, found in the woman's freezer, had come in a packet branded as a 'fresh take on dog food' and 'for adult dogs and puppies'
An elderly woman was accidentally fed microwaved dog food by a care worker, an investigation has found.
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The meal was logged by the Radis Community Care worker as “lamb dinner” and taken from her freezer – but it wasn’t until a second worker saw the packaging that the mistake was realised, according to the report.
This marks just one example of poor care over three months, with the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman noting “abysmal failures”.
Portsmouth City Council has said it no longer commissioned services from Radis, and both organisations have apologised for the error.
The elderly woman ate three mouthfuls of the dog food in June 2024, just one month before dying of frailty of old age, according to the ombudsman’s report.
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The meal had come in a packet branded as a “fresh take on dog food” and “for adult dogs and puppies”.
Following complaints from the woman’s family, the council launched a safeguarding inquiry in April 2024.
The investigation found that Radis staff had registered visits that did not occur, fed the woman stale and inedible food, and left her wet or in the dark overnight.
The woman’s Do Not Attempt Resuscitation document was found crumpled up in a closet, the report added.
The investigation itself took six months to complete, when it shouldn’t have taken longer than 28 days.
The council did not initiate its own proper scrutiny, despite already being subject to a separate investigation into its performance, and depended on Radis’ internal investigation, the report said.
The report highlighted the failings of the council, stating: "Councils cannot outsource their safeguarding duty."
Ombudsman Amerdeep Clarke said: "This is a truly shocking case.
"A vulnerable woman's care deteriorated over many months while a statutory inquiry drifted without proper oversight."
Portsmouth City Council said it had refunded the care fees and reimbursed the family an extra £1,000.
The council added that it terminated the Radis contract early, and had reformed its monitoring of care providers alongside its response to concerns.
But Radis has said it "voluntarily withdrew" from providing services in Portsmouth at the end of 2025.
It claimed the care worker involved was no longer employed and that it had improved its services and procedures since the incident.
In a statement, it acknowledged: "The fact that dog food was mistakenly provided was wholly unacceptable."