Safety Guidelines Must be Followed at Care Homes, Says HSE
In a shocking incident, an eighty-year old quadriplegic succumbed to injuries suffered during a fall from her bed at a home care centre in Lofthouse. Muriel Lindley was a resident of the Swaledale Unit at West Ridings Nursing Home on Lingwell Gate Lane in Lofthouse, where the accident took place. She died of her injuries some nine days after the accident, at Pinderfields Hospital.
Muriel Lindley was being washed and changed and for doing that, protective rails surrounding her bed had been lowered, and this was when the accident occurred.
At least two people should help clean and change such patients, but in this case, a single attendant was doing the job. Similarly, there are certain rules regarding lowering of rails so that the patient does not fall from the bed, which again was not followed in this case. Moreover, in the present case, the attendant looking after the patient had just joined service and was not properly trained on her duties.
HSE prosecuted BUPA Care Homes (CFH Care) Ltd, owner of the Lofthouse home, and stated that there are well-documented health and safety guidelines regarding care of such patients. In addition, patient assessment also required certain safety guidelines to be followed, which was not done in the present case.
BUPA pleaded guilty to the charges and Wakefield magistrates imposed a fine of £15,000 and costs of £10,500 on the home care unit. HSE Inspector Paul Robinson, while commenting on the incident, said that it would remind health care operators of the reason for creating such rules and the need for their strict adherence. Urging home care managements to follow the rules, he said that such incidents can easily be avoided.
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