Care firm ‘deeply sorry’ after Portsmouth woman fed dog food

Radis Homecare is “deeply sorry” after staff fed dog food, intended for a visiting family dog, to a Portsmouth woman.

It was previously reported that a Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman investigation found the woman experienced “significant personal injustice”.

The woman, who has not been identified, was fed dog food in the last few months of her life by care workers.

The incident involved Radis care workers, who were contracted to provide home care for Portsmouth City Council. Both organisations have apologised.

The woman was also a victim of force-feeding and, at times, was not given food at all. She was also left alone for “prolonged periods of time”.

Disturbingly, a ‘Do Not Attempt Resuscitation’ (DNAR) document was found “scrunched up in a cupboard”.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service asked Radis a series of questions about how the dog food was purchased and recorded as a “lamb dinner”, what happened to the staff members involved and how it would ensure patients are treated with dignity moving forward.

A Radis spokesperson said the support worker “mistakenly” served a “vacuum-packed meal that was intended for a visiting family dog”.

“It was labelled as dog food and should never have been served to the woman.

“The product was stored in the woman’s freezer and was commercially packaged in a way that resembled a human ready meal. Once heated, it also had the appearance of human food.”

However, they added that it “should have been checked and identified correctly” and that the “packaging may provide some context as to how the mistake occurred, but it does not excuse it”.

“We fully acknowledge how shocking and distressing this was, and we do not seek to minimise or excuse what happened.”

It was confirmed that the “support worker who prepared the meal is no longer employed by Radis”, while a second employee was subject to disciplinary action.

Radis said it is “deeply sorry for the distress caused to the person we supported who was at the centre of this case and her family”.

“We accept that aspects of the care she received, and of our management oversight, fell below the standards they had every right to expect.”

The company said it had taken “significant steps” since the incident, including “strengthened care planning and review, guidance around nutrition and hydration, medication oversight, record keeping, the handling of DNAR documentation, staff supervision and safeguarding escalation”.

“We have also enhanced safeguarding training for managers and team leaders, strengthened audit and quality-assurance arrangements, reviewed our safeguarding and whistleblowing processes, and developed our digital care-planning and oversight systems.”

Radis said it “made the decision to give notice on the Portsmouth contract and voluntarily withdrew from providing services on the 1st of December 2025”.

“We remain committed to upholding our values of professionalism, teamwork, integrity, innovation and excellence, and to ensuring those values are reflected consistently in the care and support we provide.”