31/12/2010 - Care home death firm fined £80,000
A company that ran a care home where a resident died after being restrained by staff has been fined £80,000.
Workers at the Old Vicarage nursing home in Stallingborough, near Grimsby, dangerously and inappropriately restrained 42-year-old Anthony Pinder for around 90 minutes in October 2004.
Mr Pinder, who had behavioural and learning difficulties, was eventually left to crawl back to his room on his own. He was found dead not long afterwards.
At Leeds Crown Court it was found that Health and Care Services (UK) Limited, part of the Craegmoor group, left staff inadequately trained to safely physically restrain residents at the home. The court heard that the measures used to control Mr Pinder were described as "poor, inappropriate and dangerous" during the case, although those engaged in the restraint were not blamed because the court heard they were doing what they felt was necessary under difficult circumstances.
The failure to train staff in safe restraint techniques rested with management. Health and Care Services (UK) admitted that it had failed to comply with a regulatory requirement, and failed to take all reasonably practicable steps to protect patients at the Old Vicarage, a breach of section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. As well as the fine, the company was also told to pay £40,823 costs.
Copyright © Press Association 2010
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