Nursing home fined for death of resident

McGoldrick Enterprises Ltd, trading as Maine Private Nursing Home, was today fined £10,000 plus costs of £8,279 at Antrim Crown Court for health and safety failings which led to the death of a 51 year old resident.

Today’s sentencing comes after a Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) investigation about the tragic death in April 2013 of Mary Dowds at her nursing home in Randalstown Co. Antrim.

Ms Dowds, who had physical and learning difficulties, was placed in a care chair with the use of a lap-belt. Mary was then left in her room unattended and inadequately observed, and was later found strangled by a poorly adjusted seat restraint as a result of slipping from her chair. 

Speaking after today’s sentencing Kevin Campbell, an inspector with HSENI’s Major Investigation Team said: 

“Today our thoughts are with the family of Mary Dowds, whose death could have been easily avoided if the available information about the dangers from incorrectly fitted or adjusted seat restraints had been acted upon.

“Staff should also have been properly trained to make sure that restraints were fit for purpose, suitable for each individual resident, and adequately fitted and adjusted. 

“In addition, a system of supervision should have been put in place to monitor each resident based on their needs, whether sleeping or awake. In this case, where Mary was left alone in a room, in a chair facing away from the doorway, a simple audio check was clearly not enough.”