Health And Safety Crime Sentencing Hits The Health And Care Sector

The Sentencing Council's Definitive Guideline (the Guideline) for health and safety, corporate manslaughter, and food safety and hygiene offences has significantly increased sentences and the care sector is starting to feel the effects. Gowling WLG's health and care experts look at some recent applications of the Guideline, which came into force on 1 February 2016 and must be used for offences sentenced after that date.

A national care home operator was fined £400,000 last month for the "inappropriate management" of bedrails at one of its homes. The case surrounded the death of one of the homes'...