A CARE provider whose employee called paramedics when she wrongly thought the Keighley woman she was visiting had died, has come under fire from this woman's grandson.

Mark Pearson said Premier Care Ltd committed a catalogue of errors while looking after his 92-year-old grandmother.

He said: "It's unacceptable. They weren't able to get the most basic things right."

Premier Care has admitted to problems with its service, but noted its carer genuinely thought Mr Pearson's grandmother was dead, after unsuccessfully trying to wake her.

Mr Pearson, of Ingrow, said the carer who visited his gran's Broomhill Drive home failed to check on her properly, so even though his gran was just asleep in bed the carer thought she was dead.

He said the carer immediately went outside to call an ambulance and did not re-enter the house while waiting for paramedics, or even when the medics arrived and discovered his gran was alive and well.

"There were phone numbers in the house so carers could call me or my dad if anything happened," he said.

"But no one phoned us. The first I knew about this was next morning when I visited my gran. A neighbour asked me if she was OK, and told me about the ambulance.

"We've been in touch with Premier Care, but haven't had a proper answer as to what happened and why."

Mr Pearson showed the Keighley News a Premier Care letter of apology sent to him and his father. It is not on headed paper, and features seven basic spelling errors.

Mr Pearson said Premier Care caused £288 worth of damage in his gran's home, by breaking a curtain railing and a stairlift motor worth £250.

The Premier Care spokesman responded: "The complaint relates to an evening call on December 2. The carer, who was new to our company, let herself into the house at 7.57pm.

"She said she found Mr Pearson's grandmother in bed unresponsive and apparently not breathing. She tried to rouse her but couldn't, and thought she'd passed away.

"The carer went outside to phone an ambulance, and staff at our Bradford office who gave support.

"When paramedics arrived it turned out Mr Pearson's grandmother was fine. We've acknowledged the carer didn't follow correct procedure, by not staying with her while she phoned the ambulance.

"Our office staff also were at fault as they should have phoned Mr Pearson or his father immediately the ambulance was summoned. All staff have been reminded of the correct procedure.

"We've apologised in person to Mark Pearson and his father when they visited us twice. We offered to send flowers to Mr Pearson's grandmother, and did so.

"We maintain the carer acted correctly in calling an ambulance when she believed it was needed."

He said a member of staff accepts responsibility for the apology letters featuring spelling errors and not being on headed paper.

He added: "We'll be implementing a new procedure that all letters are checked by the registered manager before despatch, but state that the letters themselves together with the flowers were a sincere expression of apology.

"Mr Pearson complained about damage to the stairlift and to a curtain rod, alleging it was caused by a Premier Care carer, though he cannot state when the damage was done.

"We note the stairlift wasn't repaired from December 3 until January 30, although Mr Pearson's grandmother remained in the house until early January.

"Nevertheless, as a goodwill gesture, we're prepared to reimburse Mr Pearson £288. We'll be writing to him setting out our findings and actions taken, and repeating our apology."