THE owners of a Kendal care home have been fined £40,000 for preparing out-of-date meat to serve to its residents.

Abbey Healthcare Ltd, which operates Heron Hill Care Home at Esthwaite Avenue, was handed the fine at a hearing at South Cumbria Magistrates' Court yesterday (May 16).

The court was told by prosecutor Michael Graham that inspectors visiting the care home on March 21 2017 noticed meat, which was past its expiry date, was being prepared to serve to residents of the home.

Being prepared for lunch that day was sandwiches made from beef which expired on March 19 and ham which had a use-by date of March 17. At no point, however, were residents given the expired food.

"There were a further six packets of meat in the chiller which were in date, and others not being used which were out of date," Mr Graham told the court.

Prabhydal Sodhi, a director of Abbey Healthcare Ltd, entered a guilty plea on behalf of the company to a charge of failing to comply with EU provision concerning food safety and hygiene.

Heron Hill Care Home offers accommodation and nursing for 86 people, and opened in 2004. The court heard it had been served two notices in January 2016 for hygiene breaches – one for 'dangerous food handling practices' and the other for a 'lack of a documented food safety management system'.

David Mainwaring, representing Abbey Healthcare Ltd, said the company accepted full responsibility and was making sure it learned from previous mistakes.

"They take this very seriously, are extremely sorry for this contravention, and are acutely embarrassed that standards slipped on that day," he said.

"Immediately following the visit, an action plan was submitted and that action plan identified particular areas (of improvement) and it has been followed by the company to the letter."

District Judge Gerald Chalk imposed a £40,000 fine as well as costs of £1899.85 and a victim surcharge of £170.

Hardeep Burnley, SLDC’s Principal Food, Licensing and Safety Officer, said: “This fine sends a strong message to all food business operators, especially to those who cater to vulnerable people such as the elderly, that providing food that is beyond its use-by date is not acceptable.

“It is important businesses regularly check their stock and train staff in their procedures so that they don’t find themselves in this position. 

“Our officers work with food businesses providing advice and information to assist them in complying with food hygiene standards. However, when this advice is ignored and standards are not improved we will not hesitate to take enforcement action.”   

Abbey Healthcare Ltd, which now has a new operational management team in place at Heron Hill Care Home, accepted full responsibility and told the court it was making sure it learned from previous mistakes.

Fiona Inston, SLDC’s Public Protection Manager, says cases like this are relatively rare. 

“Our environmental health officers made almost 1,500 food hygiene-related visits to premises over the past year, helping to promote best practice, offer guidance and maintain the district’s excellent record of compliance.

“The public can be reassured that the overwhelming majority of business owners know the law and take their responsibilities in relation to food safety and hygiene very seriously.

“Of the 1,549 local premises on the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme 1,272 have a rating of 5 which means standards are very good. However, where non-compliance is identified we will address it and take appropriate enforcement action which includes prosecution where necessary.”