Health and safety courses can prevent fines in healthcare agencies
A national healthcare agency was fined over 100,000 pounds due to a patient of elderly status dying at a hospital. The private hospital is located in High Wycombe. The HSE conducted health and safety audits after the death of the 85 year old patient in 2009. The HSE found the patient was in a private room on the first floor with access to a small balcony and sliding patio doors. The patient had an operation before being placed in the private room. Three days after the operation the patient suffered from disorientation and confusion. On the fourth evening he was found outside on the ground just below the balcony. He fell 3.5 metres suffering injuries such as a broken vertebra. He was then taken to Wexham Park Hospital, dying of his injuries two days later.
The hospital did not properly assess the risks for the patient. They did nothing to block his access to the balcony. Furthermore, the hospital did not provide staff to watch over him even though he was disoriented. Health and safety courses can help provide the proper training in workstation risk assessments and patient risk assessments for healthcare agencies.
Taking a course that will help solidify one’s education in risk management is important. More importantly though, is to make certain that high risk patients such as those who are disoriented are unable to reach an area that could be dangerous to them. A room without a balcony for this unfortunate patient would have been better.
Winter and Company offer numerous courses such as a risk assessment training course. Mitchell is an expert in risk management. For those who want to ensure there are no risks found in their company, taking one of the courses including the risk management course would be beneficial.
