Aged home faces $66,000 worth of fines after negligence resulting in fatality
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Disclaimer: This article discusses distressing topics about death. Reader discretion is advised.
Aged homes are spaces meant to be a safe sanctuary for some elders.
As these homes take residents in, they must be following safety protocols and procedures.
However, one aged home failed to take safety into account and is now facing hefty fines due to one tragic mistake.
The Broadmeadows Magistrates Court fined the Blue Cross Community Care Services $66,000 after a death happened in one of their homes.
In 2021, a 90-year-old man went out of his private bedroom at Blue Cross Glenroy and rested his feet against a hydronic heater mounted on the wall.
The prolonged contact resulted in severe burns on both of his feet.
The Royal Melbourne Hospital turned the man away due to the aged-care home's COVID-19 status.
Instead, he was given in-home treatment by the hospital.
The man's condition deteriorated over the following weeks and forced the medical team to amputate four toes from his left foot.
They also performed a skin graft on his right foot.
These measures were not enough, and the patient succumbed to sepsis in March 2022.
The incident raised questions about the room layouts and the placement of potentially dangerous fixtures in the aged home.
A WorkSafe inspector issued an improvement notice on the home in December 2021, highlighting the risks posed by hydronic heaters in such environments.
Several advisories from the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission also pointed out the risks associated with furniture placement, room layouts, and the vulnerabilities of residents.
'There was a risk of serious injury arising from residents coming into prolonged contact with hydronic wall heaters in resident's rooms,' the WorkSafe statement wrote.
'There were 90 hydronic heaters located in residents' rooms at the workplace. The offender knew or ought to have known of the risk to its residents.'
Blue Cross Community Care Group Services Pty Ltd pleaded guilty to a single offence after failing to eliminate the risk of serious injuries.
Apart from the $66,000 fine, they paid $4,132 in costs.
Had the company not pleaded guilty, the aged home could have been sentenced with conviction and a $200,000 fine.
This incident is a wake-up call for all aged-care facilities to assess potential hazards within their homes rigorously.
It is also a reminder to be vigilant and advocate for the safety and dignity of those in aged homes.
Have you or a loved one encountered safety issues in an aged care facility? How was it addressed? Share your insights and opinions with us in the comments below.
Aged homes are spaces meant to be a safe sanctuary for some elders.
As these homes take residents in, they must be following safety protocols and procedures.
However, one aged home failed to take safety into account and is now facing hefty fines due to one tragic mistake.
The Broadmeadows Magistrates Court fined the Blue Cross Community Care Services $66,000 after a death happened in one of their homes.
In 2021, a 90-year-old man went out of his private bedroom at Blue Cross Glenroy and rested his feet against a hydronic heater mounted on the wall.
The prolonged contact resulted in severe burns on both of his feet.
The Blue Cross Community Services are now required to pay $66,000 in fines after the death of a resident. Image Credit: Shutterstock/Adam Calaitzis
The Royal Melbourne Hospital turned the man away due to the aged-care home's COVID-19 status.
Instead, he was given in-home treatment by the hospital.
The man's condition deteriorated over the following weeks and forced the medical team to amputate four toes from his left foot.
They also performed a skin graft on his right foot.
These measures were not enough, and the patient succumbed to sepsis in March 2022.
The incident raised questions about the room layouts and the placement of potentially dangerous fixtures in the aged home.
A WorkSafe inspector issued an improvement notice on the home in December 2021, highlighting the risks posed by hydronic heaters in such environments.
Several advisories from the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission also pointed out the risks associated with furniture placement, room layouts, and the vulnerabilities of residents.
'There was a risk of serious injury arising from residents coming into prolonged contact with hydronic wall heaters in resident's rooms,' the WorkSafe statement wrote.
'There were 90 hydronic heaters located in residents' rooms at the workplace. The offender knew or ought to have known of the risk to its residents.'
Blue Cross Community Care Group Services Pty Ltd pleaded guilty to a single offence after failing to eliminate the risk of serious injuries.
Apart from the $66,000 fine, they paid $4,132 in costs.
Had the company not pleaded guilty, the aged home could have been sentenced with conviction and a $200,000 fine.
This incident is a wake-up call for all aged-care facilities to assess potential hazards within their homes rigorously.
It is also a reminder to be vigilant and advocate for the safety and dignity of those in aged homes.
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