12/13/2018 Healthcare company sentenced after patient fatally injured

Healthcare company
sentenced after patient fatally
injured
A healthcare company has been fined after a vulnerable patient
suffered fatal injuries during a minibus journey.

Nottingham Crown Court heard how, on 16 March 2014, a

vulnerable patient was fatally injured when returning from an out
of hours GP appointment at Nottingham Emergency Medical
Centre in a minibus. Samantha Barton died after opening a door
and leaping from a minibus which was travelling at speed on the
A52, just outside of Nottingham.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found

that Elysium Healthcare (Farndon) Limited failed to have
systems and procedures in place, including risk assessments,
information, instruction and training which would have made sure
the minibus doors were appropriately secured by the (fitted) child
locks, so that passengers could not leave the vehicle until staff
opened the doors from the outside.

Elysium Healthcare (Farndon) Limited, of Imperial Place,

Maxwell Road, Borehamwood, previously pleaded guilty at
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12/13/2018 Healthcare company sentenced after patient fatally injured

Nottingham Magistrates’ Court to breaching Section 3(1) of the

Health and Safety at Work etc. Act and has today been fined
£500,000 and ordered to pay costs of £67,500.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Paul Smith said: “This
was a tragic and wholly avoidable incident, caused by the failure
of this healthcare company to uphold its responsibilities to
vulnerable patients by implementing simple control measures
and associated safe working practices.”

Notes to Editors:
1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) [1] is Britain's
national regulator for workplace health and safety. We seek
to prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through
regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours
across whole industry sectors through to targeted
interventions on individual businesses. These activities are
supported by globally recognised scientific expertise.
2. Further information is available about the legislation
referred to in this case [2].

3. Latest HSE press releases [3].

Link URLs in this page

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12/13/2018 Healthcare company sentenced after patient fatally injured

1. Health and Safety Executive (HSE)

http://www.hse.gov.uk/
2. legislation referred to in this case
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/2306/contents/made
3. Latest HSE press releases
http://press.hse.gov.uk/

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