Care home fined £30,000 after scalding incident

A Four Seasons care home has been fined £30,000 after a resident was burned after being put into a bath that was too hot.

Elizabeth Warrington, 85, suffered scalding injuries to her hands and feet after the incident at Campsie View Care Home in Kirkintilloch, in September 2009.

At a hearing at Glasgow Sheriff Court, Four Seasons Health Care were found guilty of health and safety breaches in staff training and its plumbing system.
 
Sheriff Daniel Scullion fined the company £30,000, reducing the penalty from £40,000 due to the guilty plea. He added that the incident was “avoidable” and that bathing vulnerable residents properly was an “integral” job in care homes.

The incident happened after staff failed to properly check the temperature before placing Ms Warrington in the bath.

Ms Warrington’s disability meant she could not verbally alert staff that there was a problem. It was only when she became visibly distressed, staff acted.

Ms Warrignton was treated for three weeks at Glasgow Royal Infirmary and was discharged with no lasting effects.

The two carers involved, Joseph Rae and assistant Jacqueline Mitchellini, were suspended following the incident and chose not to return.

In June this year, the home was the subject of an unannounced inspection by the Care Inspectorate who gave the home a glowing report in all areas of care.