Northolt Care Agency Criticised After Woman's Death
Coroner finds that new staff member was inadequately trained
Lean On Me care agency shown in Northolt. Picture: Google Streetview
March 20, 2023
An elderly woman died after falling and hitting her head when an “inexperienced” carer left her unattended. Lean on Me, a care agency in Northolt, Ealing, has been criticised for the death of Gunapathyammah Ranganathan, who was left under the care of the agency.
A prevention of future deaths report published on 13 March said that Ms Ranganathan fell on 11 July 2021, after losing her balance while walking to the bathroom with her zimmer frame. The report said the woman had been given a new, “inexperienced” carer that day, with “insufficient training and shadowing” to safely support Ms Ranganathan – who was said to need a carer to move about.
The coroner said in their report, “She sustained a severe head injury that was unsurvivable and she died in St Mary’s Hospital on July 14, 2021. Had she been assisted in an appropriate way, it is probable that the fall could have been avoided.”
The inquest for the death of Ms Ranganathan’s death concluded she accidentally died of a brain haemorrhage and skull fracture from the fall, with the woman’s frailty, diabetes, hypertension and arthritis also listed as contributing factors.
The coroner said in their report that evidence revealed during the inquest had raised their concerns. They said, “There was little evidence before the court that the new carer had received any adequate training or shadowing experience. The new carer could not be deemed to be competent at mobilising a service user with a zimmer frame as there was no evidence that she had done so.”
The report said that the agency was not currently open, but may operate again as the website is still live. The coroner also said the court required confirmation from the agency that training schedules and policies were in place, as well as shadowing policies for new carers without experience.
They said, “Confirmation [is required] that steps have been taken to avoid the situation that arose in this case, when a service user who should have been under direct supervision at all times when mobilising was unattended and sustained a fatal head injury when she fell.”
Lean on Me care agency was approached for comment but had not responded at the time of publication. The agency has until 8 May to formally respond to the coroner’s report.