THE county council’s director for adult services was hired just weeks before a damning report into safeguarding procedures at another authority where she held the same position was published.

Avril Wilson was appointed to the interim position at Worcestershire County Council (WCC) in February, having ‘retired’ from the same role at West Sussex County Council (WSCC) in December 2017.

The findings of an independent safeguarding adult review – which highlighted considerable failures on behalf of WSCC’s adult services following similar injuries to two severely disabled men at a care home – was published on April 17.

Ms Wilson, who helmed the department at the time, was reportedly one of four staff within adult care at WSCC that left their roles before the review was published.

Gary Lewis – now 66 – and Matthew Bates were taken to East Surrey Hospital on April 1, 2015, after both suffering fractured thighs at Beech Lodge care home in West Sussex – where both were residents – within hours of each other. Mr Lewis’ younger brother Martyn Lewis told the Worcester News he was “alarmed” at the decision by WCC to appoint Ms Wilson.

“The position taken up by Avril is a senior post and her previous failures do not appear to have been fully explored by WCC, in the interests of protecting vulnerable adults in Worcestershire,” he said.

Mr Lewis, 59, had also sent off a Freedom of Information (FoI) request regarding the council’s due diligence undertaken prior to the hiring and was annoyed it “devolves all responsibility”.

WCC’s FoI response said the appointment was “made by a councillor appointments etc panel on February 5, 2018, in accordance with the council’s constitution following a full interview process”.

It said a search partner undertook due diligence and a reference was provided by WSCC prior to the hiring of Ms Wilson – who is paid a day rate of £1,097.

Mr Lewis asked the council if questions were asked of Ms Wilson during the interview process regarding the then-outstanding review, and what her responses were, but WCC said this information was non-disclosable by law.

Brian Boxall, a retired detective superintendent who undertook the review on behalf of West Sussex Safeguarding Adults Board, said in his report there was evidence of failures by numerous authorities involved.

Regarding WSCC, he said it needs to make changes to ensure quality of care is being delivered.

“WSCC should review the way it discharges its market management duty under the Care Act to ensure that it understands the quality of care being delivered in West Sussex and is able to support providers to improve where it identifies weaknesses,” he said.

The review could not, however, come to a firm conclusion as to how the two residents came to sustain their injuries – which it put down to failures by various parties involved. It also could not find conclusive evidence that there was any collusion between the different parties involved – to help cover their tracks – as suggested by the families of the victims.

Mr Lewis said: “The apparent failures by the appointments process may be indicative of poor culture and governance within WCC and may also have allowed other senior appointments to be made without proper enquiry and challenge."

Beech Lodge is one of a number of homes operated by private company known as Sussex Health Care (SHC).

During the period of review Sussex Police commenced a wide-ranging investigation into 12 deaths which occurred across nine care homes owned by SHC.

However, Mr Boxall said Mr Lewis and Mr Bates’ circumstances do not form part of that investigation.

A WCC spokeswoman said, regarding Ms Wilson: "A search partner was responsible for undertaking appropriate due diligence and a satisfactory reference was provided by WSCC."

Ms Wilson’s day rate includes all expenses and an agency margin, and is competitive for this level of position, the spokeswoman added.