Shirley Froggett: Care home fined after woman's wheelchair death

A care home has been fined after an 84-year-old resident died following a fall from a wheelchair.

Shirley Froggett was injured when staff at New Lodge Nursing Care Limited in Derby failed to secure her with a lap belt on 19 September 2018.

Health inspectors said when it was reported, it was wrongly stated Mrs Froggett had opened the lap strap.

A manager at the care home was also fined at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said Mrs Froggett was found on the floor of the lounge of the home by a member of staff.

She had a fractured thigh bone (femur) and bruising to her temple, face, left arm and her left leg, a CQC spokesperson added.

The CQC said no medical assistance was requested and no regulatory body was informed for nine days.

It said when the fall was reported, staff claimed a lap strap had been put on but Mrs Froggett had removed it.

It was later found that no belt had been in place.

When Mrs Froggett's family visited her, they called for an ambulance, the CQC said.

She was taken to the Royal Derby Hospital where she was treated for her fracture.

While she was there, Mrs Froggett contracted broncho-pneumonia and later died of bi-lateral broncho-pneumonia, due to a femoral fracture.

At an inquest into her death, a coroner said Mrs Froggett died as a result of an accident that was contributed to by neglect.

New Lodge Nursing Care Limited was fined £30,000 for failing to provide safe care and treatment to a resident, resulting in her being exposed to a significant risk of avoidable harm.

It was also ordered to pay a £170 victim surcharge and a contribution to prosecution costs of £7,500 to the CQC.

Manager of the home, Lindsey Foster, was also ordered to pay a fine of £800, a contribution to prosecution costs of £105.22 and a victim surcharge of £80.

Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].