Bupa Care Homes fined £3 million following death of resident from Legionnaires’ disease

Bupa Care Homes has been fined £3 million over the death of an 86-year-old in Essex.

Kenneth Ibbetson died after contracting Legionnaires’ disease while living at the Hutton Village Nursing Home in Brentwood in March 2015, the Health and Safety Executive said.

Bupa Care Homes admitted breaching the Health and Safety at Work act and was fined and ordered to pay costs of £151,482 at Ipswich Crown Court on Thursday, the HSE added.

The regulator said adequate controls to prevent the risk of residents contracting the disease were not in place.

Principal inspector Vicky Fletcher said: “It is heart-breaking to think Kenneth contracted Legionnaires’ a matter of weeks after moving into the Hutton Village Care Home.

“His family have been left devastated by his sudden death.”

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