THE University Hospital of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust has today been fined £100,000 at Carlisle Crown Court over its inappropriate management of the use of bedrails at its hospitals.

The Health and Safety Executive told Carlisle Crown Court that the Trust failed to ensure it managed the risk of bedrails, which is a fundamental element of patient safety for which extensive and comprehensive guidance on risk, management and policies existed.

An initial HSE visit to the Trust in February 2012 identified issues with bedrail management, and a second visit in May 2012 resulted in the service of an Improvement Notice (IN) on bedrail management and a letter with recommendations.

MORE TOP STORIES: Following a guilty plea in Carlisle Magistrates’ Court the District Judge referred the case to Carlisle Crown Court for sentencing.

The Trust, which has its headquarters at Westmorland General Hospital, Kendal, admitted breaching Section 3 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was fined £100,000 and ordered to pay full costs of £18,465.