Posted 06 April 2023 - 11:51
Posted 06 April 2023 - 11:51
News
Nurse to pay £55k over nursing home resident deaths
Caroline Taylforth, who manages Rossendale Nursing Home, had pleaded guilty to two counts of causing avoidable harm after two residents died
Caroline Taylforth, who manages Rossendale Nursing Home, had pleaded guilty to two counts of causing avoidable harm after two residents died
A registered nurse has been ordered to pay more than £55,000 after two residents died at a nursing home she owned and managed.
Caroline Taylforth appeared at Blackpool Magistrates’ Court on 5 April for a sentencing hearing, after previously pleading guilty to two counts of causing avoidable harm at Rossendale Nursing Home in Lancashire.
Nurse receives £40k fine and must pay court and other costs
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) had brought the prosecution in relation to the deaths of two older residents, Patricia Sutton and Dereck John Chapman (known as John).
At the hearing Ms Taylforth was ordered to pay a fine of £40,000 along with a victim surcharge of £181 and court costs of £15,000.
Details of the two incidents at the nursing home
Patricia Sutton died after choking while eating dinner in the dining room. It later emerged that she had experienced three previous choking incidents but Ms Taylforth had failed to refer her to appropriate specialist services or put a prevention plan in place.
The other charge related to Mr Chapman who was at risk of falls and had deteriorating mobility. He had a fall at the Rossendale Nursing Home, breaking his neck of femur. He died a few weeks later.
It later emerged that he previously had 14 falls at the nursing home.
The CQC said Ms Taylforth had failed to mitigate the risk and had not promptly referred Mr Chapman to appropriate services, such as the falls team, GP and local authority, following any of the falls.
‘Ms Taylforth failed in her duty’
Following the sentencing, CQC deputy director of operations in the north Alison Chilton said: ‘Ms Taylforth failed in her duty as registered manager to protect Patricia and John from an avoidable risk of harm in a place they should have been safe and receiving the best possible care to meet their individual needs.
‘This fine is not representative of the value of their lives, but this, and the prosecution, reminds all care providers they must always ensure people’s safety and manage risks to their well-being.’
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