AN ELDERLY resident whose treatment sparked a police investigation into a care home in Bournemouth has died.

Dorothy Neal, 97, died on Tuesday (October 9) and Aaron Lodge, in Milton Road, where she lived, is now the subject of a multi-agency investigation led by the police.

Nine of the residents were moved out of the home on Friday September 28 after a district nurse raised concerns about Mrs Neal's care.

It is believed that Mrs Neal had 12 pressure sores.

Mrs Neal was deemed too ill to move so she remained in the home until her death.

A spokesman for the police said: "Dorset Police and Bournemouth Borough Council are working with the Primary Care Trust and the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) on an investigation into Aaron Lodge following concerns over the standard of care." She added that the death of Dorothy Neal was not being treated as suspicious.

A spokesman for Bournemouth and Poole Primary Care Trust said: "We can confirm a member of the nursing team made a visit to Aaron Lodge and needed to take further steps to ensure the care of the residents."

A spokesman for the CSCI said that the agency was involved in the investigation and depending on the police's findings the home could be closed down.

Bournemouth Borough Council's executive director for adult and community services, Judith Geddes, said that they had decided to relocate the residents following concerns about the standard of care.

She added: "In view of the ongoing multi-agency investigation at this time it is inappropriate for us to comment further on this case."

Mrs Neal's son Brian Neal said that the post mortem had confirmed his mother had died of old age.

Mr Neal said: "My sister or myself were there every day, and she was never neglected. I can tell you that."

Daughter Jeannette Poole said that the police had told her that they had been into the home but that her mother had not been neglected.

The home was inspected in June this year and the Commission for Social Care Inspection found the home to be poor' in many areas.

  • We have been asked to point out that Bournemouth social services did not decide to close the home, as reported in one article last week. The department has no power to close homes but elected to withdraw its nine clients from Aaron Lodge.