MS death care home bosses finally admit.. WE’RE GUILTY
Patient died after choking on sausage roll
A care home has admitted it was at fault over the death of a multiple sclerosis sufferer who choked on a sausage roll.
Richy Passmore died after being left to eat lunch on his own, despite clear instructions that he should always have been supervised.
The 47- year- old dad was rushed to hospital after the alarm was raised at Beechwood Care Home in Wishaw, Lanarkshire, but he could not be saved.
A joint probe by Police Scotland and the Health and Safety Executive ( HSE) was launched into Richy’s death last September.
His devastated family instructed solicitors to launch a legal action against Beechwood. The care home has now admitted liability for the tragedy.
Richy’s daughter Rachael, 21, a university student, said: “For them finally to admit they were in the wrong is a relief. That’s all we ever wanted.
“They knew my dad couldn’t be left alone to eat but we were told there was some sort of emergency and they had to go.
“We don’t know the exact details of what that emergency was but, as a result of those actions, he choked and later died.
“We “We feel feel so so let let down. down. We We put put my my dad’s dad’s life life into into their their hands. hands.
“We “We knew knew that that one one day day we we were were going going to to lose lose him him but but to to lose lose him him earlier earlier than than we we needed needed to to has has been been devastating. devastating.
““It It was was hoped hoped he he would would pass pass peacefully peacefully with with all all his his family family around around him. him. But But for for it it to to happen happen when when he he was was alone alone and and probably probably terrified terrified made made his his death death so so much much worse worse to to deal deal with. with.
“My “My dad dad was was such such a a loved loved man, man, he he meant meant everything everything too too his his family family his his family family and and he he deserved deserved so so muchch muchch more more than than to to die die like like that.” that.”
Dad-of-three Dad-of-three R R ichy, ichy, who who was was diabetic, diabetic, was was diagnosed diagnosed with with primary primary progressive progressive MS MS in in 2009. 2009.
The The neurologicall neurologicall condition condition damagess damagess nerves nerves in in the the body body andd andd makes makes it it harder harder to to walk,k, walk,k, talk, eat and think. He was moved to Beechwood, run by Holmes Care Group, in October 2018.
In January, the former builder’s devastated relatives told the Sunday Mail that they wanted answers about the care he received at the home, which has been at the centre of three abuse cases in the past two years.
A report on the police and HSE probe has been passed to the
Crown Office and is still under consideration.
The Crown Of f ice said: “Following a joint investigation by Police Scotland and the HSE, a report was submitted. This is being considered by the Crown’s Health and Safety Investigations Unit and the family will continue to be kept updated.”
Beechwood Careare
Home said Richy’s death “is a matter of deep regret”.
It added: “Mr Passmore was a much-loved member of our care home community and our thoughts remain with his loved ones at this difficult time.
“We accept the finding of the HSE and apologise that our record-keeping did not meet the robust standard standards expected. “Over the ppast year, we hahave made siig ni fi cant imimprovements to policies to redreduce the risk of it happening agaiagain.”
North La L an anrks hire
Council said: “Following the conclusion of the investigation, our role is to work with the home to ensure the recommendations are implemented and to continue to monitor the quality of care.”
The Care Inspectorate said: “We are aware of this tragic case and our thoughts are with those affected. This service was re- registered under a new provider in July 2020.”
The police said: “We received a report of the sudden death of a 47-year old man on September 18, 2019. A report was submitted to the procurator fiscal.”
Legal firm Thompsons said: “We’re extremely glad that liability in the case has been admitted by the care home.
“The family have shown remarkable courage in pursuing this case. We will move forward with settling the financial redress they are entitled to.”