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Overdose death sparks concern over care home

Dale Haslam
17/10/2003

RESIDENTS are demanding answers about the future of a care home after the death of a 15-year-old girl who lived there.

Victoria Agoglia died from a drug overdose three weeks ago at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital after being found in a coma two days after going missing from the Bernard Street, Syke terraced house.

People in the street claim they should have been told the house would be used for 24-hour 'intensive support' of Victoria, and said it lead to noisy youths congregating nearby. The property is now closed and an investigation is being carried out by Manchester City Council, which was responsible for Victoria's care.

But neighbours said they fear it will re-open and cause more problems. They first raised concerns with the Observer in July, when Rochdale Council, Greater Manchester Police and Rochdale NHS Primary Care Trust all said they had no involvement with the property. Since then, Rochdale-based Green Corns Ltd has admitted running the care home, but declined to comment on the issue.

A Manchester City Council spokesman said they were under no statutory obligation to tell residents about the property's usage, or apply for planning permission.

But one Bernard Street resident, Clive Jones, said: "Building work was going on for about three or months at the house earlier this year and it raised a few eyebrows in the street. Everyone here is unhappy with it all. What was a normal street before they came has now become unstable.

"We were concerned about this even before the poor girl died. The main problem was of comings and goings when staff changed shifts at all hours or when visitors came and groups gathered outside our front door. I don't care about Manchester City Council's legal right to ignore our questions. Common sense says there will be a concern among residents and that they should be told.

"It is totally unacceptable that they are not listening to us. I am sure they would like it if happened at their homes. I understand the difficulties they would have in finding a place for a care home, but that is not to say it is acceptable that they open it here."