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UK News - Breaking news in the field of health and safety
Bed rail/ cot side danger alert for care homes
Care home operators are being warned of the need to consider the dangers associated with the use of bed rails or cot sides.
Inadequately managed risks led to the recent prosecution of BUPA Care Homes (CFC Homes) Limited following the death of an 80-year-old resident in April 2004 at the Clare Hall Nursing Home in Ston Easton, Somerset. The deceased was found entrapped in a set of bed rails fitted to her bed and died shortly afterwards, post mortem examination was 'indeterminate' on the cause of death and did not establish a direct link between the entrapment and cause of death.
HSE and Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) investigation deemed the deceased to be in a situation of high risk and the company had failed to ensure that BUPA's overall bed rail policy was properly implemented at Clare Hall. This failure resulted in poor risk assessment and awareness of potential risks, inadequate staff training and unsuitable rails being used.
Bed-rail training package
At Frome Magistrates Courts BUPA Care Homes (CFC Homes) Limited admitted breaching S.3.(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 for which it was fined £18,000, and breaching r.4(3) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, for which it was fined £5,000 with costs of £12, 608.
BUPA, HSE and other authorities are developing a comprehensive bed-rail training package which, it is anticipated, should be available later this year.
For authoritative and practical guidance on the choice and use of appropriate bed rails see the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency website.
Comment:
"This prosecution should send a clear message to all care home owners about the risks associated with their everyday equipment. Bed rails might look harmless but if they are incorrectly fitted or if unsuitable rails are used or if staff are inadequately trained - particularly in the case of elderly and frail residents - then they could pose a real danger.
I'm pleased to say that Clare Hall and BUPA overall responded very positively to the 2 enforcement notices served during our joint investigation with CSCI and improvements have already been made. We now want other care homes to be equally responsible - let's not wait for a tragedy to strike before the message gets through." - HSE Inspector.
