CQC, 'Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership fined £80,000 after patient is injured falling from hospital roof' (21/8/19)

Trust fined for failing to provide safe care and treatment Extract from press release: "The risk of the low roof at Applewood Ward had been highlighted in previous annual risk assessments since 2011. The outcome was that the risk should be managed through staff observation. CQC believe this was an inappropriate and inadequate response to the risk posed to all service users by this low roof. In 2015 there were 28 direct references to the low roof in the garden of Applewood Ward between January and December at seven different Trust forums. The Trust was also aware that numerous other service users had been able to access the low roof prior to the service user’s fall in January 2016. The trust was fined £80,000 for failing to provide safe care and treatment and putting patient at risk of avoidable harm. It was also ordered to pay the prosecution costs of £12,033.96 and a £170 victim surcharge."

Further details

The CQC provided the following information (email to MHLO, 23/8/19):

The CQC’s investigation considered whether the registered provider, Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust had breached Regulation 12(1) and 22 (2) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. In respect of its role as Registered Provider responsible for the location known as Applewood Ward, they failed to provide safe care and treatment to an inpatient, resulting in them suffering avoidable harm and thereby committing an offence under Regulation 22 of the Health and Social Care Act (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.

External links

  • There is no written judgment in this case (an email from Taunton Magistrates' Court to MHLO on 28/8/19 states: "Unfortunately the Magistrates Court is not a Court of record and as such written judgements are not routinely made, I have confirmed with the Judge who dealt with this case that there was no written judgement so I am afraid I am unable to assist in your enquiry.")

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Type: Case summary🔍

Title: Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership fined £80,000 after patient is injured falling from hospital roof

Organisation: Care Quality Commission🔍

Date: 21/8/19🔍

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