Glasgow care home fined after resident found dead in car park

The National

a day ago

77-year-old Hugh Kearnis was a resident at Chester Park home in Kinning Park, Glasgow, and left the building through a fire escape during the early hours of Boxing Day 2022.
According to BBC reports, his body was discovered in the car park six hours later despite staff falsely claiming to have checked on him throughout the night.
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Owners of the home, Oakminister Healthcare Limited, have now plead guilty to a breach of health and safety and were handed a fine of £53,750.
Glasgow Sheriff Court heard that, based on the nature of the guilty plea, the company was not found to have caused Mr Kearin's death.
The admission of guilt related to a failure to ensure there was a system in place to confirm the internal fire alarm door was operational.
It was stated in court that the company will pay the imposed fine over the next six months.
Sheriff Joan Kerr said: "I wish to make it clear that the court recognises that the fine cannot compensate and no fine can be adequate
"The court sends its sincere condolences for his loss."
The court was told that Mr Kearins had dementia and was considered at risk of "absconding or wandering."
A care plan had been implemented requiring staff to check on Mr Kearins every hour.
Prosecutor Blair Speed said: "A senior care assistant and a care assistant who had responsibility for his care falsified care records.
"They falsely stated that they performed tasks involving Mr Kearins at the time when he was no longer in the care home.
"A close observation chart completed by the senior care assistant stated he had checked on Mr Kearins every hour between 2am and 8am.
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"Both carers were unaware that he was not in his room until news of his death became known in the home following the discovery of his body in the car park."
The carers were later dismissed from their positions and are currently under investigation by the Scottish Social Services Council.
It remains unknown which staff member last accessed the internal fire door.
Following the incident, the company introduced a new system requiring every exit and entry point to be checked at the end of each shift to ensure alarms are working.
An additional alarm has also been installed at the top of the stairs outside Mr Kearins's former room to alert staff if someone enters the area.