Frances Norris death: Aster Healthcare admits corporate manslaughter

Frances Norris died three days after being placed in a scalding bath at Birdsgrove Nursing Home in Bracknell

A healthcare firm has pleaded guilty to corporate manslaughter after the death of a dementia patient who was placed into a bath of scalding water.

Frances Norris, 93, died three days after the incident at the Aster Healthcare-owned Birdsgrove Nursing Home in Bracknell, Berkshire, in 2015.

She was in the bath for about 10 minutes before staff noticed a problem, the Royal Courts of Justice heard.

The sentencing hearing for Aster Healthcare will continue on Thursday.

Carer Noel Maida, 50, and Elisabeth West, 46, the home's manager at the time, both pleaded guilty to failing to discharge a duty.

Ms Norris was being bathed by Maida and another more junior member of staff who had not yet been trained in bathing patients, the court heard.

Birdsgrove Nursing Home is owned by Aster Healthcare

After hoisting Ms Norris into the bath and hearing her say the water was "cold", Maida instructed the junior carer to add more hot water.

Oliver Glasgow, prosecuting, said the carers took Ms Norris back to her room after realising the water was too hot.

They then called for a nurse after noticing Ms Norris's feet had turned red, the prosecutor added.

Ms Norris was taken to Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey and then referred to the specialist burns unit at London's Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, where she died on 8 February 2015.

'Serious failings'

The firm previously denied the charge, and Angela Hudson, Ms Norris' daughter, told the court she had been waiting for justice for six and a half years.

"I was upset to think about the pain she had experienced. All I wanted was someone to admit they had made a mistake," she said.

"At times, it felt like we were never going to get a trial and it was all going to be forgotten."

Jamas Hodivala QC, representing Aster Healthcare, said the company accepted it had failed in its duties to Ms Norris.

"Aster Healthcare wishes to apologise for its serious failings in this case and accepts it should have done far more," he added.