Reading care home fined after toppling door death

Mulberry Care Limited received the fine at Reading Magistrates' Court

A care home has been fined more than £50,000 after a door fell on a resident who later died.

Mulberry Care Limited received the fine at Reading Magistrates' Court following the death of Joyce Hayward.

The door was removed by builders at the home in Reading and left for two months against a wall in a communal hallway.

Managing director Sats Ahluwalia told the BBC he wanted to express "personal sadness and sincere condolences" to all affected by Ms Hayward's death.

The care home in Wokingham Road accommodates up to 35 people aged 65 and over with dementia.

'Failed to protect her'

The door was removed in July 2019 and could have been moved to a safe place before it toppled on Ms Hayward in September, fracturing her hip, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) said.

She had dementia and osteoporosis, and was known to be at risk of falling.

Ms Hayward was taken to hospital where she required surgery but died 11 days later.

Mr Ahluwalia said the registered manager, who is no longer with the company, had carried out a quality audit but failed to remove the door afterwards.

He added: "The buck stops with me. I'm doing everything possible to change my policies and procedures, my quality audits and quality assurances, and with any learning we will minimise the risk on health and safety."

Rebecca Bauers, CQC head of inspection for adult social care, said Ms Hayward "had the right to expect to be kept safe... but in this case the provider failed in its legal duty to protect her from being exposed to significant harm".

Mulberry Care Limited, which was was rated as good in its most recent CQC inspection in November, pleaded guilty to failing to provide safe care and treatment.

It was fined £40,000, ordered to pay £10,869 costs to the CQC which brought the prosecution, and to pay a £181 victim surcharge.