HSE prosecute care home for resident’s preventable death
13:56 - 24/05/2011
HSE prosecute care home for resident...
A nursing home has been prosecuted and fined £70,000 after an elderly resident died in what an inspector for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has described as a ‘terrible’ and preventable incident.
Elizabeth Roberts, aged 89, tragically suffocated after she became trapped between her mattress and the rails around her bed. She was found in her room at the Headlands Nursing Home in Llangollen on 30th August 2008.
A subsequent investigation by the HSE revealed that Mrs Roberts had become trapped in this way three weeks before her death but, despite this, no alternative arrangements had been made.
Care staff at the home used bedside rails in order to prevent Mrs Roberts from falling out of her bed, but they had not been provided with up-to-date training on the safe use of bed rails or the risks involved. A sufficient risk assessment had not been completed and there was no company policy in place on the safe use of bed rails or for the routine inspection of them.
The care home operators, Deevale Homecare and Services Ltd, based in Wrexham, pleaded guilty to breaches of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. In addition to their £70,000 they were also ordered to pay £21,818.56 in court costs.
Commenting on the case, HSE Inspector Sarah Baldwin-Jones said: “This is a terrible incident and one that could have been easily avoided.
“It is essential that home owners and care staff consider whether bed rails are the most appropriate method of preventing a patient falling from bed.
“[...] When using bed rails, homes should take adequate steps to assess the potential risks created. This should consider the bed occupant as well as the set up of the bedding arrangements.
“This home could have taken the simple steps [...] to train care staff and implement a safe system of routine inspection and maintenance at their home.”
First Response Training provides a range of care sector training courses which have been carefully developed and mapped to meet the Common Induction Standards and Care Quality Commission (CQC) requirements. Many courses also link to the new Diploma in Health and Social Care (Level 2) and can be externally accredited. Courses include Health and Safety in Care, Risk Assessment for Care, Person Centred Care and Moving and Handling of People, as well as many more.
Julie Crowther, Associate Director of Quality and Curriculum for First Response says: “All care staff should have a good grasp of health and safety and risk assessment principles and should know how to apply these to individual patients to work out the best care for them. It is important that staff have completed a thorough induction, covering all 8 of the revised Common Induction Standards, and further training commensurate with their role.”
For more information on any of their care sector training courses, please call First Response today on freephone 0800 310 2300.
Elizabeth Roberts, aged 89, tragically suffocated after she became trapped between her mattress and the rails around her bed. She was found in her room at the Headlands Nursing Home in Llangollen on 30th August 2008.
A subsequent investigation by the HSE revealed that Mrs Roberts had become trapped in this way three weeks before her death but, despite this, no alternative arrangements had been made.
Care staff at the home used bedside rails in order to prevent Mrs Roberts from falling out of her bed, but they had not been provided with up-to-date training on the safe use of bed rails or the risks involved. A sufficient risk assessment had not been completed and there was no company policy in place on the safe use of bed rails or for the routine inspection of them.
The care home operators, Deevale Homecare and Services Ltd, based in Wrexham, pleaded guilty to breaches of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. In addition to their £70,000 they were also ordered to pay £21,818.56 in court costs.
Commenting on the case, HSE Inspector Sarah Baldwin-Jones said: “This is a terrible incident and one that could have been easily avoided.
“It is essential that home owners and care staff consider whether bed rails are the most appropriate method of preventing a patient falling from bed.
“[...] When using bed rails, homes should take adequate steps to assess the potential risks created. This should consider the bed occupant as well as the set up of the bedding arrangements.
“This home could have taken the simple steps [...] to train care staff and implement a safe system of routine inspection and maintenance at their home.”
First Response Training provides a range of care sector training courses which have been carefully developed and mapped to meet the Common Induction Standards and Care Quality Commission (CQC) requirements. Many courses also link to the new Diploma in Health and Social Care (Level 2) and can be externally accredited. Courses include Health and Safety in Care, Risk Assessment for Care, Person Centred Care and Moving and Handling of People, as well as many more.
Julie Crowther, Associate Director of Quality and Curriculum for First Response says: “All care staff should have a good grasp of health and safety and risk assessment principles and should know how to apply these to individual patients to work out the best care for them. It is important that staff have completed a thorough induction, covering all 8 of the revised Common Induction Standards, and further training commensurate with their role.”
For more information on any of their care sector training courses, please call First Response today on freephone 0800 310 2300.
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