BUPA fined £90,000

Prosecutions and Claims |
01.11.2006

Bupa Care Homes has been fined under the Health and Safety at Work Act following an HSE prosecution over the death of a 95-year-old woman.

Charlotte Wood was a resident at Abbotsleigh Mews in Sidcup. In November 2003 she slipped from a hoist that was being used to lift her out of a bath and fractured her shoulder. While waiting for surgery, she contracted pneumonia and died. Care assistants were not aware of risk assessments and procedures for manual handling and safe bathing, and the supervision of staff carrying out lifting operations was inadequate. Southwark Crown Court fined Bupa £90,000 plus more than £19,000 costs.