A care provider has been ordered to pay a total of £117,681 at Oxford Magistrates’ Court, after it failed to protect a resident from avoidable harm.
Salutem LD Bidco IV Limited which operated Birchwood Care Home in Chesham, Buckinghamshire was fined £100,000in court today (Monday 20 November). It was also ordered to pay a £181.00 victim surcharge and £17,500 costs to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) which brought this prosecution.
MP is a 53-year-old resident at the service who experienced a number of health conditions. In February 2020, she, was supported by two care workers to have a bath. The supporting staff members did not check the water temperature before placing MP in. Support plans, policies and risk assessments did not provide good enough guidance to staff as to what was considered to be a safe water temperature as per the Health and Safety Executive Guidelines.
She was lowered into the water via an overhead hoist. MP expressed discomfort and was removed from the bath. The staff members added cold water and re-immersed her. It wasn’t until she was being dried that the staff noticed that her feet were red.
Later, MP told staff she was experiencing pain and they noticed skin was starting to blister and peel. The home called NHS111 and then for an ambulance and soothed and cooled the wounds in the meantime.
She was admitted to hospital overnight and given pain relief. As a result of the incident, MP experienced sustained second-degree immersion scalds from the bottom of her feet to the top of her ankles.
Amy Jupp, CQC deputy director for the south, said:
“MP had the right to expect to be kept safe from harm while living at Birchwood Care Home. But in this, case the provider failed in its legal duty to protect her from being exposed to significant harm.
“The majority of care providers do an excellent job. However, when a provider puts people in its care at risk, we will take action to hold them to account and to protect people.
“I hope the outcome of this prosecution reminds care providers of their duty to assess and manage all risks and follow the policies and guidance in place to keep people safe.”