Care Charity Fined £50,000 After Resident Suffered ‘Significant Burns’

Friday, 10th January 2020

A care charity has been fined £50,000 after a care home resident suffered “significant burns” from a hot pipe following a fall. The charity, pleaded guilty to failing to provide safe care and treatment to the victim at their care home in Bury St Edmonds at Sevenoaks Magistrates Court on Friday 10 January 2020.

The court heard how the resident fell on 10 January 2016 and became stuck against a hot pipe inflicting significant burns on her back. A subsequent CQC investigation found that the charity failed in their duty to implement systems and processes to protect people from hot surfaces, meaning the incident could have been avoided. The victim has since died. Her death was not linked to injuries sustained at the home.

Jemima Burnage, CQC head of inspection for adult social care, said: “The risk of people sustaining serious burns from uncovered pipes is something all care homes should be aware of. We hope this result sends a message to all care home providers that they must always ensure people’s safety and manage risks to their wellbeing. When a care provider has put people in its care at serious risk of harm, we will hold them to account, using our powers to bring prosecutions where appropriate.”

A spokesperson for the charity said: “We deeply regret and have accepted responsibility for the accident which related to the unfortunate exposure of a resident to a section of unprotected hot piping in her bathroom."

“Since the accident we have replaced the management team previously in charge of this, and other, care homes and they have taken all necessary steps to review safety standards at the home and ensure that safety procedures are reviewed on a regular basis. The home is currently rated Good by CQC following the regulator’s last inspection in January 2018. Indeed, all our homes are now rated as Good or Outstanding by CQC."