THE brother of a man with Down’s syndrome who was locked in a one-bedroom flat and deprived of his basic human rights has hit out at the NHS, social services and council officials over significant failings.

A report by the Health Service and Local Government Ombudsmen published on Wednesday described how David Parsons’ basic human rights were ignored after he was detained unnecessarily in hospital for seven months and was then moved into inappropriate, locked accommodation until his death.

The ombudsmen carried out a joint inquiry into complaints made by Mr Parsons’ brother Roger about the care and treatment provided by Newcastle City Council and Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust.

The inquiry found significant failings in the care provided to 53-year-old Mr Parsons, from Heaton, who died of pneumonia in April 2007.

Last night Roger Parsons told The Journal that despite the council and NHS trust agreeing to fully acknowledge the mistakes they made and apologise to Mr Parsons’ family, he will never get any closure.

The pensioner, who lives in Whitby, said: “Despite the ombudsmen finding significant failings in the care that the council and NHS Trust provided to David, this is something I will never get over.

“There will never be any closure. David should never have been in that situation. It was terrible injustice caused to David, the suffering he was caused. To be taken away from his home and his family was totally unfair.

“The length of time he was made to stay in hospital was completely unnecessary. To see David in Northgate after just a couple of days was very upsetting, never mind after seven months.”

David Parsons had been an active, outgoing and sociable man, living independently in rented accommodation with his wife Leslie, receiving day-to-day support from the council as well as his family, who he was close to.

But in November 2005 health professionals raised concerns about Mr Parsons’ deteriorating health and abilities, and he was admitted to Northgate Hospital in Morpeth for a five to six-week assessment. He was diagnosed with dementia and epilepsy but despite being declared ready for discharge, he was kept in hospital until the following June.

Rather than then returning to his home, which was considered unsuitable, he and his wife were moved to a self-contained flat at a care home for older people, which was kept locked to restrict Mr Parsons’ access outside. On April 7, 2007, Mr Parsons was admitted to hospital with a chest infection. Two days later he died from pneumonia.

His brother Roger, who had fought to have him returned to his original home, lodged a complaint before his death and insists he would still be alive today had he not been treated so inhumanely.

He said: “David was a very intelligent and considerate man who worried about others. He never had anything wrong with him in his life. I still believe he was wrongly diagnosed. When we were told he had epilepsy and were told he’d had fits in hospital, we couldn’t believe it. We’d never seen him have a fit. But on the rare times we could take him out, you could see the improvement in him.”

Mr Parsons said he has lodged a complaint with the General Medical Council regarding the doctors involved in the care of his brother.