0:00:04 > 0:00:08This woman made a complaint of alleged abuse at a centre...
0:00:08 > 0:00:11..for people with severe learning disabilities in Carmarthen.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14She says the local council hasn't dealt with the complaint...
0:00:14 > 0:00:17..and she's been punished for raising it.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21I've lost out financially, but what worries me most...
0:00:21 > 0:00:26..is the effect this has had these people.
0:00:26 > 0:00:31Tonight, on Taro 9, does the whistleblower pay the price?
0:00:32 > 0:00:33Subtitles
0:00:33 > 0:00:35Subtitles
0:01:02 > 0:01:04Llansteffan, Carmarthenshire.
0:01:04 > 0:01:09Throughout her life, Delyth Jenkins has lived and worked in the area.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12From 1994 on, she was an administrative officer...
0:01:12 > 0:01:17..at a day centre in Johnstown, run by Carmarthenshire Council.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20Adults with severe learning difficulties attend the centre...
0:01:21 > 0:01:26..and one individual, Sally, not her real name, stays in her mind.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32I'd say she was seven-and-a-half, eight stone at the most.
0:01:32 > 0:01:34She can't talk.
0:01:34 > 0:01:39She gets frustrated when people don't understand what she wants.
0:01:39 > 0:01:44I regularly felt that people didn't have time for her.
0:01:51 > 0:01:53We can't show you Sally's picture...
0:01:53 > 0:01:56..as her family don't want her to be recognised.
0:01:56 > 0:02:01But in June 2005, something happened at this centre behind me...
0:02:01 > 0:02:04..that would change the lives of Sally, her family...
0:02:04 > 0:02:07..and Delyth Jenkins forever.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11I was in the office and I heard the door opening.
0:02:13 > 0:02:17I didn't hear anything afterwards, so I knew someone had gone out.
0:02:18 > 0:02:22Then Delyth Jenkins looked out of her window.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27I could see Sally out in the car park.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30People who attended the centre weren't supposed to go out...
0:02:31 > 0:02:33..unless accompanied by a member of staff.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37Delyth Jenkins was worried that Sally was outside alone.
0:02:37 > 0:02:42I went out and as soon as she saw me, she sat down.
0:02:43 > 0:02:47I tried, for a few seconds, to coax her back in..
0:02:47 > 0:02:49..but she refused to move.
0:02:49 > 0:02:54Guidelines say care has to be taken in attempting to move or carry...
0:02:54 > 0:02:56..people with severe learning disabilities...
0:02:56 > 0:03:01..Delyth decided to call for the help of two colleagues.
0:03:01 > 0:03:05Without warning, Officer B held her under her arms...
0:03:06 > 0:03:08..and yanked her up.
0:03:10 > 0:03:14While she did that, the other witness tried to tell her...
0:03:14 > 0:03:18..to leave her alone, that she'd get up in her own time.
0:03:18 > 0:03:24The way she was lifted went completely against her care plan.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28Then she was pushed into the centre...
0:03:28 > 0:03:31..and then pushed into the toilet.
0:03:31 > 0:03:36Delyth Jenkins didn't witness what happened inside the toilet...
0:03:36 > 0:03:41..but her colleague who followed Sally and Officer B into the toilet..
0:03:41 > 0:03:45..alleged she had heard Officer B hitting Sally.
0:03:45 > 0:03:51The other worker went after them and then she heard a slap.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01The incident was among a number things that worried Delyth Jenkins...
0:04:01 > 0:04:06..about the way vulnerable people were treated at the centre.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09She was worried Officer B wasn't qualified to work with...
0:04:10 > 0:04:12..people with severe learning disabilities.
0:04:12 > 0:04:17In 2005, she took her complaints to her managers in the council.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21A lot of good people work in these types of centres...
0:04:21 > 0:04:25..but it's been the easiest job to get into...
0:04:25 > 0:04:30..and you're working with the most vulnerable people in society.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34It's important to ensure they do the checks...
0:04:34 > 0:04:38..and they employ the right people because it's not for everyone.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42Sally's mother doesn't want to be seen on camera...
0:04:43 > 0:04:47..as she doesn't want her daughter to be recognized.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51She feels indebted to Delyth Jenkins for raising her concerns...
0:04:51 > 0:04:54..about the way her daughter was treated.
0:04:54 > 0:04:58I'd like to thank her on behalf of myself and my husband...
0:04:59 > 0:05:03..but mostly for my daughter and the vulnerable people...
0:05:03 > 0:05:07..that are in the centre that she spoke up for and protected.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12According to the mother, Delyth Jenkins was punished for her bravery.
0:05:12 > 0:05:16I think she was very badly treated, Mrs Jenkins...
0:05:16 > 0:05:21..for the way she supported vulnerable people in the centre.
0:05:21 > 0:05:25When a complaint of abuse is made and an investigation is held...
0:05:25 > 0:05:28..the accused are usually suspended from work.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32Despite Delyth Jenkins's complaint, Officer B...
0:05:32 > 0:05:36..who denied hitting Sally, remained in post for five months.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40She didn't feel her complaint was adequately addressed by the council.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43They didn't give any feedback at all.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46The policy is that when someone makes a compliant...
0:05:46 > 0:05:50..they should reply within 10 days and give regular feedback.
0:05:50 > 0:05:55But they didn't listen. They just didn't take is seriously.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00In June 2006, 10 months after Delyth Jenkins...
0:06:00 > 0:06:03..made an official complaint to the county council...
0:06:03 > 0:06:07..she met with the council official who was handling the complaint.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10What the official said to her was of great concern.
0:06:11 > 0:06:13I told her what was going on.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16She said, "We know what's going on within the department....
0:06:16 > 0:06:19"..but the glass is too thick above."
0:06:19 > 0:06:23She said my complaints went nowhere.
0:06:23 > 0:06:28What did you think she was trying to tell you?
0:06:28 > 0:06:31That someone was stopping things.
0:06:31 > 0:06:35In July 2006, Delyth Jenkins decided to take her complaint...
0:06:35 > 0:06:38..to the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40Within two days, she received a reply...
0:06:40 > 0:06:43..saying they would look into her complaints.
0:06:43 > 0:06:47On occasion, the Ombudsman deals with complaints from 'whistleblowers'...
0:06:47 > 0:06:48..people like Delyth Jenkins...
0:06:48 > 0:06:51..who draw attention to workplace maladministration.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57We went to Middlesex University to meet Professor David Lewis...
0:06:57 > 0:07:00..one of Britain's top experts on whistleblowing.
0:07:00 > 0:07:04The academic says it takes great bravery for individuals...
0:07:04 > 0:07:08..to voice their concerns if they see maladministration in their workplace.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12If they do face problems...
0:07:12 > 0:07:16..it's likely to be that they're not believed, that they're ignored...
0:07:16 > 0:07:20..that they're seen as trouble-makers, they're ostracised.
0:07:20 > 0:07:25So it can have an extremely negative effect.
0:07:25 > 0:07:30Delyth Jenkins felt that some were trying to make things hard for her...
0:07:30 > 0:07:33..and making her life miserable.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35After taking her complaint to the Ombudsman...
0:07:36 > 0:07:38..she says she started receiving sinister phone calls.
0:07:39 > 0:07:40TELEPHONE
0:07:40 > 0:07:42They always happened in clusters...
0:07:43 > 0:07:46..at times when the investigation was progressing.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49There were sometimes three or four a day.
0:07:49 > 0:07:54I started to log them and there were more than 100 by the end.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57I'd answer, say good morning and the name of the place...
0:07:57 > 0:08:01..there'd be silence, then they'd hang up.
0:08:02 > 0:08:07It was done in order to harass me and threaten me.
0:08:07 > 0:08:14Delyth Jenkins logged the calls from Summer 2006 to September 2009.
0:08:14 > 0:08:20She answered most at her office but she also received calls at home.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23Are you sure that was the intention?
0:08:23 > 0:08:27Perhaps someone was making a mistake or maybe it was a coincidence.
0:08:27 > 0:08:34It always happened when things were progressing to another level...
0:08:34 > 0:08:36..and there were too many.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39Delyth Jenkins took her complaints...
0:08:40 > 0:08:43..to the highest level in the county council.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47In a meeting with the Director of Public Services, Bruce McLernon...
0:08:47 > 0:08:51..she says he promised to deal with her concerns.
0:08:52 > 0:08:53The administrative officer...
0:08:53 > 0:08:56..had also contacted the council's Chief Executive, Mark James.
0:08:56 > 0:09:05I wrote to him in July 2006, outlining all the complaints.
0:09:05 > 0:09:09It seems that he passed it on to his monitoring officer and...
0:09:10 > 0:09:12..I heard nothing further about it.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17Although senior council official were aware of the complaints...
0:09:17 > 0:09:20..Carmarthenshire County Council's department of Social Services...
0:09:20 > 0:09:24..had not informed Sally's family of the alleged incident.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27More than a year passed before the mother heard of...
0:09:27 > 0:09:31..an investigation into allegations that her daughter had been abused...
0:09:31 > 0:09:33..which in council care.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37It was by accident that we found out about it, a year after.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41I didn't realise that they were investigating allegations of abuse.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44Because of this, we continued to send my daughter there.
0:09:44 > 0:09:49She was then abused by a second member of staff.
0:09:51 > 0:09:55In July 2006, witnesses claim to have seen Sally...
0:09:55 > 0:09:59..being hit across the head by another member of staff...
0:10:00 > 0:10:01..who resigned soon afterwards.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05And Sally didn't only suffer physical abuse...
0:10:05 > 0:10:07..according to Delyth Jenkins.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09She also suffered psychological bullying.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13Sally had refused to eat her lunch, and she was told...
0:10:13 > 0:10:17..she couldn't have her pudding because "she's got to learn".
0:10:18 > 0:10:20The following day, she wasn't given pudding again...
0:10:20 > 0:10:25..because it would look as if they were giving in to her.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28Officer B's disciplinary hearing was held in May 2007...
0:10:28 > 0:10:33..almost two years after the first alleged incident of abuse.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35Although she was found guilty of misconduct...
0:10:36 > 0:10:38..Carmarthenshire County Council decided...
0:10:38 > 0:10:42..there wasn't enough evidence to prove that she'd hit Sally.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46Although Officer B no longer works at the Johnstown Day Centre...
0:10:46 > 0:10:49..she still has an administrative position...
0:10:49 > 0:10:51..in the care services department.
0:10:52 > 0:10:53During the ombudsman's investigation...
0:10:54 > 0:10:57..Delyth Jenkins heard rumours that efforts were being made...
0:10:57 > 0:11:01..to move her to a different job within the council.
0:11:01 > 0:11:05By summer 2009, four years after the original complaint...
0:11:05 > 0:11:07..the strain was affecting her health.
0:11:08 > 0:11:12I call it psychological abuse. They just tried to wear me down.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15I had chest pains.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18My blood pressure had gone through the roof.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21I didn't want to go to work.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25I kept concentrating on this ombudsman's report.
0:11:26 > 0:11:27I kept thinking...
0:11:27 > 0:11:33..I have to carry on to make things better for these people.
0:11:33 > 0:11:38After the break, we'll hear the outcome of that investigation.
0:11:57 > 0:12:01Delyth Jenkins made a complaint, claiming a disabled girl...
0:12:01 > 0:12:05..was being abused by staff at a centre for adults...
0:12:05 > 0:12:08..with learning difficulties in Carmarthen.
0:12:08 > 0:12:12After failing to get answers from Carmarthen County Council...
0:12:12 > 0:12:15..she took her complaint to the ombudsman.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19She also turned to someone else who'd had a similar experience.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23Eileen Chubb lost her job after voicing concerns...
0:12:23 > 0:12:28..about mistreatment at a nursing home for the elderly in England.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30She saw similarities between the cases.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33It's the level of failure that's scandalous.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36It's not just one level of management...
0:12:36 > 0:12:39..it's all the way through the council.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42In September 2009, three years after the investigation started...
0:12:43 > 0:12:45..the ombudsman's office published a report...
0:12:45 > 0:12:47..on Delyth Jenkins's complaints.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50The conclusions were damning.
0:12:50 > 0:12:54Carmarthenshire County Council officials were severely criticised.
0:12:54 > 0:13:00This complaint was one of the most serious we've received.
0:13:01 > 0:13:05Very often, we see isolated cases...
0:13:05 > 0:13:08..with regard to the complaints we receive.
0:13:08 > 0:13:12We were concerned about this case because we were aware...
0:13:12 > 0:13:16..that similar cases were happening within the centre.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20So it wasn't only this individual who was in danger.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22During this time...
0:13:22 > 0:13:26..other individuals who attended the centre were also in danger.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30The ombudsman decided that Delyth Jenkins was right to complain.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33The main issue was a lack of management...
0:13:34 > 0:13:37..within the learning disability department.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41There wasn't a culture of putting the individual...
0:13:41 > 0:13:44..at the heart of the service.
0:13:44 > 0:13:50There were also obvious failures in the way they investigated...
0:13:50 > 0:13:56..the complaints they received about the service in that centre.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59Sally's family welcomed the report...
0:13:59 > 0:14:01..but thinking about her daughter's experiences...
0:14:02 > 0:14:04..was heartbreaking for her mother.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07It was heartbreaking. It still is now.
0:14:07 > 0:14:13You know, it's very hard to send her to people who are abusing her.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17You're hoping that they're taking care of her.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20For charities that work with people with learning difficulties...
0:14:20 > 0:14:24..Sally's experience was a cause for great concern.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27According to Rhodri Davies from Mencap, it raises questions...
0:14:28 > 0:14:31..about the methods used to communicate with people...
0:14:31 > 0:14:34..with serious learning disabilities and who can't speak...
0:14:34 > 0:14:37..to find out about possible cases of abuse.
0:14:37 > 0:14:42It's important for providers to consider working...
0:14:42 > 0:14:48..with people who are experts in this field.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51Maybe people who could work with individuals like Sally...
0:14:51 > 0:14:57..by using special techniques like using pictures or symbols...
0:14:57 > 0:15:01..in order to work with them, and get that feedback.
0:15:02 > 0:15:03Unlike residential homes...
0:15:03 > 0:15:06..day centres like the one Sally attended...
0:15:07 > 0:15:10..are not regulated by independent agencies.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12Delyth Jenkins believes the Government...
0:15:12 > 0:15:15..should intervene to change that.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19Carmarthenshire County Council says it has responded...
0:15:19 > 0:15:24..to what the ombudsman raised and that it has changed the way...
0:15:24 > 0:15:28..it deals with complaints like those you made.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32One of the recommendations in the ombudsman's report...
0:15:32 > 0:15:36..was that it would alert the Welsh Government about the fact...
0:15:36 > 0:15:38..that these people are vulnerable.
0:15:38 > 0:15:44The report said that it should be regulated from outside.
0:15:44 > 0:15:48But it seems to me that that hasn't happened.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51The ombudsman's report made several recommendations.
0:15:51 > 0:15:56But what concerned Delyth Jenkins was that most of the officials...
0:15:56 > 0:16:01..who were criticised about the way they dealt with the complaint...
0:16:01 > 0:16:03..were still in post.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06After the report was published, Delyth Jenkins met...
0:16:06 > 0:16:09..the county council's chief executive, Mark James.
0:16:09 > 0:16:14As soon as I went in, I knew he was angry.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18When I started asking what was going to be done...
0:16:18 > 0:16:22..as a result of the report, he shouted at me...
0:16:22 > 0:16:26..and what he said was, "Back off a bit."
0:16:26 > 0:16:29I felt he was quite threatening.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32No complaints have been made against the current staff.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35Only one staff member who worked there...
0:16:35 > 0:16:39..when the alleged abuse occurred still works there.
0:16:39 > 0:16:44But we wanted to know how many of the people who were criticised...
0:16:44 > 0:16:47..by the ombudsman still work for the authority.
0:16:48 > 0:16:50The council didn't want to discuss the staff...
0:16:50 > 0:16:54..who were mentioned in the 2009 report.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58The council told us this matter was settled by both sides...
0:16:58 > 0:17:00..several months ago.
0:17:00 > 0:17:04The council says changes have been made to the care service...
0:17:04 > 0:17:07..since the ombudsman's report into Delyth Jenkins' complaints...
0:17:07 > 0:17:10..and the Care Standards Inspectorate has acknowledged that.
0:17:11 > 0:17:15You can't draw a line through things if they're inconvenient.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19As long as those people are employed by the council...
0:17:19 > 0:17:23..the culture is exactly the same now as it was then.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26Are you worried it could happen again?
0:17:26 > 0:17:29Yes. I'm seriously concerned it could happen again.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32It's a scandalous failure.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35According to Sally's mother, her daughter's problems...
0:17:35 > 0:17:39..have worsened following her experiences in the day centre.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42I think they let us down badly.
0:17:42 > 0:17:48They failed to protect my daughter on a number of occasions...
0:17:48 > 0:17:51..before and after the abuse was reported.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54Seven years on, she's still suffering from the effects...
0:17:55 > 0:17:57..of what happened during that time.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59She suffers medical and psychological problems...
0:18:00 > 0:18:03..that will probably be with her for years.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06The mother's concern is that Delyth Jenkins' experience...
0:18:06 > 0:18:10..will deter staff from taking complaints to the authorities...
0:18:10 > 0:18:13..if they believe disabled people are being abused.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17Staff will think twice before reporting any abuse they see...
0:18:18 > 0:18:21..because they're frightened of losing their jobs.
0:18:21 > 0:18:25Professor David Lewis is an expert in occupational law...
0:18:25 > 0:18:28..and is used to cases like this.
0:18:28 > 0:18:32Carmarthenshire County Council had a policy about raising concerns...
0:18:32 > 0:18:36..about care standards when Delyth Jenkins made her complaint.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40But according to the academic, what's on paper...
0:18:40 > 0:18:44..and what happens in reality can be very different.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48I've had a look at the current procedure.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52I'm not sure it's the best, but it's a question of credibility.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54People have to have confidence...
0:18:54 > 0:18:57..that you're going to abide by the procedure.
0:18:57 > 0:19:01The Jenkins case suggests this procedure isn't anything other...
0:19:01 > 0:19:05..than a piece of paper and that they won't suffer retaliation.
0:19:05 > 0:19:10So this is a great difficulty for the authority.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14The county council says it has put solid processes in place...
0:19:14 > 0:19:16..following the ombudsman's report.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19But does that mean the problems are over?
0:19:20 > 0:19:24We've looked at how the processes and so on have changed...
0:19:25 > 0:19:26..within the council.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28They seem to be solid.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32With regard to culture, that's obviously something...
0:19:32 > 0:19:34..that's more difficult to put in place.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39That's something that may take time to take effect.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43We've been taking to the Care Standards Inspectorate...
0:19:43 > 0:19:50..so that it can, within its own reviews over a period of time...
0:19:50 > 0:19:54..make sure that the situation has improved...
0:19:54 > 0:19:57..and is effective and permanent.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00Delyth Jenkins is pleased that the ombudsman has decided...
0:20:00 > 0:20:05..that the county council failed to investigate her complaint.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08However, she feels more needs to be done...
0:20:08 > 0:20:11..to ensure this doesn't happen again.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15The Government should give the ombudsman more powers.
0:20:15 > 0:20:20If the Government won't deal with the matter, who will?
0:20:20 > 0:20:24In October 2010, Delyth Jenkins left her job with the council.
0:20:24 > 0:20:29She intended to take her former employer to an industrial tribunal.
0:20:30 > 0:20:34But before the hearing last July, she agreed a financial settlement.
0:20:34 > 0:20:38However, she feels she had to leave a job she enjoyed...
0:20:39 > 0:20:43..and claims that the officials who dealt with the complaint...
0:20:43 > 0:20:47..are still in their jobs and some have been promoted.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51They should have lost their jobs for what they did.
0:20:51 > 0:20:55You're talking about the most vulnerable people in society.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57They can't stand up for themselves.
0:20:57 > 0:20:59It's disgraceful, to be honest.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02Taro Naw asked for an interview...
0:21:02 > 0:21:04..with Carmarthenshire County Council's...
0:21:04 > 0:21:08..director of care services, Bruce McLernon.
0:21:08 > 0:21:10However, he refused.
0:21:10 > 0:21:15The chief executive, Mark James, also refused to be interviewed.
0:21:15 > 0:21:19In a statement, Carmarthenshire County Council told Taro 9...
0:21:19 > 0:21:22'..that the authority is disappointed by continued efforts...
0:21:23 > 0:21:25'..to bring this matter to the public's attention...
0:21:26 > 0:21:28'..five or six years after the events...
0:21:28 > 0:21:32'..suggesting, as it were, that that situation remains unchanged.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35'At the time, the criticism, which could be justified...
0:21:35 > 0:21:38'..of the failure of protective processes...
0:21:38 > 0:21:41'..was taken very seriously and the authority...
0:21:41 > 0:21:44'..has taken all the appropriate steps to ensure...
0:21:45 > 0:21:48'..that such failures won't be repeated.'
0:21:50 > 0:21:53The council added that they work with parents, carers...
0:21:53 > 0:21:58..spokesgroups and managers to continually develop their services.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02But according to an international expert on such cases...
0:22:02 > 0:22:05..there was serious misadministration in Delyth Jenkins's case...
0:22:05 > 0:22:08..and the Welsh Government needs to act.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11Given the ombudsman was involved...
0:22:11 > 0:22:13..and made a finding of serious maladministration...
0:22:13 > 0:22:16..I would have thought the politicians should say...
0:22:16 > 0:22:19.."This isn't good enough. It's not up to scratch.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22"This is an embarrassment, it's sending out the wrong message.
0:22:22 > 0:22:24"We need to do something about it."
0:22:24 > 0:22:30Another who suffered after raising concerns about care services...
0:22:30 > 0:22:34..is calling on the Welsh Government to hold a full inquiry...
0:22:34 > 0:22:35..into Delyth Jenkins's case.
0:22:35 > 0:22:39We need to look at this in detail and learn lessons from this case.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42This could apply to any council.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46I think nationally and locally, it needs to be looked at in detail.
0:22:46 > 0:22:50There needs to be an official inquiry into this case.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53We requested an interview...
0:22:53 > 0:22:56..with the Government's Deputy Health Minister, Gwenda Thomas.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58Our request was refused.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01The Government says it can't discuss individual cases.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04A spokesperson added that the Government understood...
0:23:04 > 0:23:07..that Carmarthenshire County Council was responding to the report...
0:23:07 > 0:23:10..and it would be inappropriate to comment further.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15Despite leaving a good job and pension scheme...
0:23:15 > 0:23:19..Delyth Jenkins is content that she has done the right thing.
0:23:19 > 0:23:23It takes strength and bravery to take a complaint about injustice...
0:23:23 > 0:23:26..to employers, according to one who has been through the experience.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29She's got integrity and she's got courage.
0:23:29 > 0:23:33She'll stand up for what's right and speak out and that's not easy.
0:23:34 > 0:23:36People like Delyth should be treasured.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38They shouldn't be treated as she has been.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41Delyth Jenkins isn't sure she'd have the strength...
0:23:41 > 0:23:45..to make a similar complaint again, but she is convinced she was right...
0:23:45 > 0:23:50..and her only choice was to challenge the council...
0:23:50 > 0:23:53..and draw attention to the suffering of a disabled woman...
0:23:53 > 0:23:55..and couldn't speak for herself.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59This has had an effect on me personally.
0:23:59 > 0:24:03I've lost trust in people, but more than that...
0:24:04 > 0:24:09..I feel deep pity for Sally and her family.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13It's clearly destroyed a part of their lives.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34S4C subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd.