The former care home provider has been ordered to pay £45,481.69 and the home’s former registered manager has been ordered to pay £21,481.69 at Northampton Magistrates’ Court, after they failed to provide safe care and treatment to a resident resulting in him being exposed to a significant risk of avoidable harm.
Wildacre (run by Wildacre Care Services Ltd) was a residential care home in Chelveston, Northampton. The home is now closed.
Wildacre Care Services Ltd was fined £30,000 in court today (Friday 3 May). It was also ordered to pay a £190 victim surcharge and £15,291.69 costs to the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which brought this prosecution. Julian Sanderson, who was the former registered manager at the home, was also fined £6,000, ordered to pay a £190 victim surcharge and £15,291.69 costs.
Mr Alfie Dunkley became a resident at Wildacre on 7 October 2016, aged 74.
Then in February 2020 Alfie was assessed by Speech and Language Therapy (SaLT), and a care plan was put in place due to his risk of choking. He was able to eat normal foods that were soft and tender in texture. He had been assessed as requiring supervision from staff whilst eating, encouraged to take his time, and to try and take smaller bites.
Following the assessment, Alfie had two choking incidents, then on 5 January 2021, Alfie choked while eating his breakfast, then sadly died later that day.
CQC brought the prosecution as the registered provider and registered manager failed to make sure appropriate staff training, policies and guidance had been put in place for managing choking incidents, to ensure Alfie was receiving safe care and treatment.
Craig Howarth, CQC deputy director of operations in the midlands, said:
“This is a tragic case and my thoughts are with Alfie’s family following his death.
“People should be able to expect safe care and treatment when their circumstances make them vulnerable to harm. It is unacceptable that Alfie’s safety wasn’t well managed by Wildacre Care Services Ltd and Julian Sanderson when he needed them the most. This is why I welcome their guilty pleas.
“It’s also unacceptable that Wildacre Care Services Ltd and Julian Sanderson failed to put in place adequate measures following his Speech and Language Therapy (SaLT) assessment, and known risks of choking, as a result he was exposed to a significant risk of avoidable harm.
“We know that the majority of people receive good care in care homes, but if we find a provider has put people in its care at risk of harm, we take action to hold it to account and protect people in future.
“I hope this prosecution reminds other health and social care organisations they must provide care in a safe environment that meets people’s needs and starts to provide Alfie’s family with small degree of closure.”