In the autumn, the woman had to visit Mälar Hospital unplanned, after which she received help from home care staff to book a travel service.
No return trip was booked as it was not known how long the visit would take and the staff informed the medical service that the woman needed help with booking a ride home.
The woman never received any help and sat alone in the hospital reception for six hours before a relative found her.
Had no escort
Flen municipality's explanation for the incident is that the woman at the time did not have a decision on escorting and that the home care staff does not have the opportunity to accompany as a companion during visits and trips that are not planned in advance.
In that respect, staffing is often insufficient.
The woman previously had assistance in the form of escort, but that decision ceased to apply in 2020 and has not been reconsidered or extended.
In August 2021, almost two months before the incident, a new application was submitted which was not considered either.
Broken in the handling
The municipality's investigation points to shortcomings in the social services committee's handling and also questions the home care service's organization.
The board has an obligation to follow up the decision on interventions and reconsider them in good time before they expire.
According to the investigation, there are misconduct and a risk of serious misconduct.
This has led to the municipality of Flen intending to report itself to Ivo, the Swedish Health and Care Inspectorate.