WIREDGOV

A care provider that failed in its duty to provide safe care and treatment has yesterday been ordered to pay £24,600 in fines and costs.

We brought the prosecution under our enforcement responsibility for health and safety following an incident when a 79 year old woman fell against an uncovered radiator at Manor House Residential Home in Morden and received serious burns.

The registered provider partnership, Mr Dudley and Mrs Helene Sessford, pleaded guilty to an offence of failing to provide safe care and treatment resulting in avoidable harm to a resident at the home.

Debbie Ivanova, CQC’s Deputy Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care, said: “This incident was entirely avoidable. The risk of people sustaining serious burns from uncovered radiators is something all care homes should be aware of. Mrs Walters was known to be at high risk of falling over. Yet the registered provider failed in its duty to ensure that care and treatment was provided in a safe way, and as a result Mrs Walters was seriously burned.

"When serious incidents occur, we now have additional powers to hold providers to account in the courts. In future if we find that a care provider has put people in its care at risk of harm, we will always consider using those powers to the full to prosecute those who are responsible."