An elderly woman was unintentionally fed dog food by a care worker just a month before she died, an investigation has found. The incident occurred in June 2024 when a carer from Radis Community Care mistakenly served the pet food, which was stored in the woman's freezer and labelled as a 'lamb dinner'. The error was only discovered when a second carer noticed the packaging described the product as a 'fresh take on dog food' for 'adult dogs and puppies'. The woman consumed three mouthfuls of the food before the mistake was realised. She died a month later from frailty of old age, according to the report.
Ombudsman's findings
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman concluded that this was one example of subpar care over a three-month period, describing some failures as 'abysmal'. The report highlighted that Radis staff had logged visits that never happened, fed the woman stale and inedible food, and left her wet in the dark overnight. Additionally, her Do Not Attempt Resuscitation order was found scrunched up in a cupboard.
Council's response
Portsmouth City Council, which commissioned Radis's services, has since stopped working with the company and issued an apology. The council also refunded the woman's family for care fees and provided an additional £1,000. A safeguarding investigation was initially launched in April 2024 after the family raised complaints, but the council relied on Radis's own internal inquiry, which was not thorough enough. The ombudsman's report stated, 'The Councils cannot outsource their safeguarding duty.' The investigation took six months to complete, whereas it should have taken at most 28 days.
Ombudsman's statement
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.' The council has since claimed that monitoring of care providers has improved, as has the response to concerns.
Radis's response
Radis Community Care disputed that the council ended its contract early, instead claiming it 'voluntarily withdrew' from providing services in Portsmouth in late 2025. The care worker who fed the dog food is no longer employed by Radis. In a statement, the company said that the fact that dog food was 'mistakenly provided' was 'wholly unacceptable'.
