Legal Experts Call For Improvements Following CQC Inspection Findings

Lawyers representing victims of major Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks in the UK and abroad have called for urgent improvements to be made after an inspection of a Dewsbury care home revealed residents were put at risk of legionella bacteria.

The Huddersfield Daily Examiner reports that experts from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) placed Aston Manor in special measures after rating the site as inadequate in a range of categories. 

Problems identified included that staff were not reading care plans, while an examination by an external contractor concluded it was likely that the legionella bacteria could contaminate water systems and the risks were not seemingly being managed.

Aston Manor is now set to be inspected again in six months’ time, with the CQC warning that a failure to improve could lead to closure.

Irwin Mitchell’s specialist Public Health team have vast expertise in providing support to those affected by Legionnaires’ disease, with the experts successfully acting for those affected by the fatal outbreak in Stoke-on-Trent in 2012 and more recently representing the family of a woman who died of the illness earlier this year after staying at the Feather’s Hotel in Ludlow.

Amandeep Dhillon, a Partner and Public Health expert at Irwin Mitchell specialising in illness cases linked to outbreaks in the UK and abroad, said: 

Expert Opinion

“In recent years, many of our cases have highlighted the devastating impact that Legionnaires’ disease can have on victims, often leaving them with long-term health conditions and in some cases even proving fatal.

“Care homes, hotels and businesses of all kinds are responsible for the proper and effective management of legionella bacteria which can emerge in water systems, so it is very worrying that this report found the site in question was failing to do so.

“Such issues put elderly residents, who are some of the most vulnerable in society, and employees at serious risk of harm and it is simply unacceptable. With this in mind, it is vital that this care home takes action urgently to ensure standards are improved and safety is made a top priority.” Amandeep Dhillon - Partner

Read more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in Legionnaires' disease claims.