Care Provider Fined £140,000 for Failing to Provide Safe Care

A care home group has been fined £140,000 and ordered pay a £170 victim surcharge and £14,361.60 costs for failing to protect residents at one of its homes from avoidable harm.

The fine was issued at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Friday after the group had previously pleaded guilty to two offences, prosecuted by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), connected to its management of a resident in one of its homes.

Mary Cridge, CQC deputy chief inspector for adult social care, said: “This is a distressing case and I welcome the groups guilty pleas.

“People had every right to expect safe care at this home, but the provider failed in its specific legal duty to protect residents from avoidable harm. The majority of care providers do an excellent job. However, when a provider puts people in its care at risk of harm, we take action to hold it to account and protect people. I hope this prosecution reminds care providers that they must always ensure people’s safety and manage risks to their well-being.”

In the incident on 12 December 2017, 93-year-old woman sustained a head injury after being pushed over by a resident who had a history of challenging behaviour. The victim, who was susceptible to falling due to her frailty and dementia, was also kicked several times by the resident while on the floor.

The court found the home had not acted comprehensively to protect the victim despite the resident having been physically aggressive at least 18 times in the two months before the incident.

The care home group pleaded guilty to failing to provide safe care and treatment to the victim, resulting in her suffering avoidable harm. It also pleaded guilty to a separate charge of exposing the home’s other residents to a significant risk of avoidable harm, due to its inadequate management of threats to their safety.

The Managing Director of the group said: “The safety and well-being of everyone who lives and works with us is our absolute priority. We deeply regret and take full responsibility for the incidents which occurred at the home in 2017 and we apologise sincerely for any distress caused. We acknowledge that, at the time of the incidents, this service fell far short of the extremely high standards we hold today.”

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