Widow freezes to death in her bedroom

An old woman

An old woman

Published Sep 30, 2016

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A care home firm run by a multi-millionaire was fined R28 million for allowing a 91-year-old widow with dementia to freeze to death in her bedroom.

Doreen Barritt’s body temperature was ‘barely compatible with human life’ and would not have registered on a standard thermometer when she was taken to hospital and died of hypothermia.

Mrs Barritt, a former shorthand typist, had not been given any hot food or drink as she spent her last day asleep in her room. She died of hypothermia despite medical notes saying she needed to be kept warm and two nurses checking on her about ten times on the day of her death.

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Passing sentence on Maria Mallaband Care Group at York Crown Court, Judge Paul Batty, QC, described the tragedy as an ‘accident waiting to happen’ and blamed ‘systemic failures’ at the care home.

He described care at the 41-bed Oaklands Country Rest Home in Kirk Hammerton, North Yorkshire, as ‘wholly inadequate’.

Mrs Barritt’s son Anthony said managers should ‘hang their heads in shame’ and examine their consciences.

In a joint statement, he and his brother David said: ‘A fine, no matter how large, could never replace a loved one – what price can you put on your mother’s life?’

The Maria Mallaband Care Group was founded by Yorkshire pharmacist Phil Burgan 20 years ago. He remains chief executive and his wealth was recently estimated at more than R898 million through his stake in the company.

The court heard management at the care home had been warned by relatives of Mrs Barritt, other residents and staff that oil-fired heating in the Acorn suite, where she and 13 other residents lived, did not work properly.

The home ran out of fuel on several occasions during the two winters before her death.

Mrs Barritt had been married to her husband Maurice for 53 years when he died in 2001. She was said by her family to have lived a ‘simple life’ dedicated to looking after her children and grandchildren.

She had been admitted to the home by her sons after much soul searching because they thought she would be well looked after.

But investigations after her death on November 4 2012 revealed the radiator in her room was not working because of an ‘intermittent fault’. Bosses were warned about broken radiators in rooms and the inadequate maintenance system relied on an unqualified handyman.

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David Barritt said in a victim impact statement that those responsible for his mother’s care ‘failed in the most devastating and shocking way’.

He added: ‘No one should be left alone, cold and without food and water to eventually die while being in the care of so-called professionals. I live in the constant feeling of guilt that I placed my mother into the environment that ultimately caused her death.’ The judge criticised the care home for not monitoring or measuring temperature in the rooms, although a system has now been implemented.

He also highlighted a failure to take notice of a warning eight days before Mrs Barritt died when she was admitted to Harrogate District Hospital after bumping her head.

Her discharge letter from hospital said her temperature was low and that she should be kept warm, but staff took no notice.

The Maria Mallaband Care Group admitted a health and safety breach and was also ordered to pay R 808 417 prosecution costs.

The firm, which runs more than 30 care homes for the elderly and has a R898 million annual turnover, said in a statement that it had failed in its care of Mrs Barritt ‘and for this we are very sorry’.

Daily Mail

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