Pensioner Died After Suffering Head Injury

The owners of a nursing home in Leicester have been fined after an elderly resident died after falling from a hoist in July 2008.

Sisters Fatima and Munira Mawji of Scraptoft pleaded guilty to safety failings over the incident which happened when 78-year-old Annie Bradley was being transported in a sling from her bed to a chair at Harley House Nursing Home.

The pensioner, who suffered from Huntingdon’s disease, fell and hit her head during the manoeuvre and died the following day.

In a hearing at Leicester Crown Court, it was revealed that the hoist was in poor condition and could not be used safely. In addition, the Health and Safety Executive found that the system of work in place meant Miss Bradley was at risk at falling at any time, while training on manual handling was also limited.

Irwin Mitchell’s specialist Medical Law and Patients’ Rights team have vast experience acting for the families of vulnerable people injured as a result of care home safety failings.

Commenting on this case, Suzanne Munroe, a Partner and medical law expert, said: “Care homes have a duty to ensure that the wellbeing and safety of their residents comes first, but this incident demonstrates the terrible consequences that failings in this respect can have.

“Families with loved ones in homes expect certain standards to be upheld and it is vital, for the sake of them and their relatives, that lessons are learned from cases like this so that the same problems are not repeated again.

“We would urge nursing home owners to take note of this case and ensure that they provide the necessary equipment and training to their staff, with the ultimate aim of keeping residents safe from any potential harm.”