Care home provider says staff were dismissed after resident death investigation in Co Antrim

A care home provider has revealed staff were dismissed and others referred to professional bodies following the death of an 85-year-old resident at a Lisburn nursing home that later led to a criminal prosecution and £10,000 court fine.

Healthcare Ireland, which also runs Slemish Care Home and Braefield Care Home in Ballymena, issued the statement after Healthcare Ireland (no.2) Limited appeared before Lisburn Magistrates Court over failings linked to the death of William Moore at Pond Park Care Home in September 2024.

The company pleaded guilty to a breach of health and safety legislation following an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI).

In a statement released after Monday’s court proceedings, Healthcare Ireland acknowledged “shortcomings” in the level of supervision Mr Moore received around the time of his death and outlined a series of disciplinary and procedural actions taken following an internal investigation.

Company confirms dismissals and referrals after internal investigation

Carol Cousins, Director of Strategy for Healthcare Ireland, who attended the court hearing, said the organisation had carried out its own Root Cause Analysis inquiry after the incident.

She said two members of staff were reassigned to day duty, while three staff members were referred to professional bodies including the Nursing & Midwifery Council and the Northern Ireland Social Care Council.

The company also confirmed two staff members were dismissed and another resigned while on maternity leave.

Healthcare Ireland said additional changes had since been introduced across the organisation, including revised supervision procedures for residents, changes to incident recording systems and the issuing of an internal Quality & Safety Alert throughout the wider Healthcare Ireland group.

Ms Cousins said:

“We acknowledged that there were shortcomings in the level of supervision that Mr. Moore received around the time of his death.”

She added:

“We will always strive to deliver the highest quality of care for our residents and we will use the findings delivered by the court to positively improve resident care delivery.”

The company also expressed sympathy to Mr Moore’s family and said management from both Healthcare Ireland and Pond Park Care Home would be willing to meet with the family “in due course should that be helpful”.

Resident found with serious head injury

Pond Park Care Home In Lisburn, County Antrim

The prosecution followed an investigation into events at Pond Park Nursing Home, located at Derriaghy Way in Lisburn.

Mr Moore was found in his bedroom at approximately 8.45am on 14 September 2024 having suffered a significant head injury consistent with a fall.

HSENI investigators found the resident had not been observed by staff since approximately 6.45am that morning despite supervision requirements contained within his individual care plan.

The investigation also established that Mr Moore, who had been assessed as being at high risk of falls, required a buzzer mat in his room intended to alert staff if he wandered or fell.

No buzzer mat was present at the time of the incident.

Investigators further identified inconsistent staff understanding regarding the requirement for the mat, while its absence was not identified through the home’s management auditing systems.

Court hears of health and safety breach

Healthcare Ireland (no.2) Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Article 5 of the Health and Safety at Work (Northern Ireland) Order 1978 and was fined £10,000 at Lisburn Magistrates Court.

The Public Prosecution Service confirmed prosecutors from its Fraud and Departmental Section worked alongside HSENI investigators to prepare the case.

HSENI Major Investigation Team Inspector Kiara Blackburn said the case highlighted the importance of care plans being fully understood and consistently followed within residential care settings.

She said:

“Individual care plans for nursing home residents must be followed. The requirements within these plans should be clearly understood, effectively implemented, and consistently maintained through appropriate staff monitoring.”

Inspector Blackburn also stressed the importance of assistive safety technologies being properly maintained and monitored.

“Assistive technologies, such as sensor pressure mats used to detect patient movement, require careful oversight and regular maintenance to ensure they function correctly and support the safety and wellbeing of service users,” she added.

Case likely to intensify scrutiny on care home standards

The case is likely to raise wider questions around overnight supervision procedures, patient safety systems and regulatory oversight within nursing homes across Northern Ireland.

Falls remain one of the most significant risks facing elderly residents in care settings, particularly for those identified as vulnerable or requiring enhanced monitoring.

The prosecution also underlines the potential legal consequences for care providers where agreed safeguarding measures and care plans are not properly implemented.