A care provider has been ordered to pay £160,657.66 after it exposed a resident living at their former service Valley View at HF Trust – St Teath Site, to the significant risk of avoidable harm.

The six figure sum was awarded after a fatal incident involving an individual in their care after a hearing at Plymouth Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, August 13.

HF Trust, formerly known as Home Farm Trust, is a charity that says that it provides support to more than 2,700 people with learning disabilities to live with independence, choice and support they need.

In its most recent inspection, conducted in 2023 by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which regulates services providing care provision, the St Teath site was rated as ‘inadequate’. Inspectors had found that the service was not safe or well led.

At the hearing, HF Trust Limited pleaded guilty to failing to provide safe care and treatment to the resident which exposed them to a significant risk of avoidable harm. This resulted in one offence under Regulation 22 (2)(b) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.

HF Trust Limited was fined £133,333 for this. It was also ordered to pay a £190 victim surcharge and £27,134.66 costs.

HF Trust Limited operated HF Trust – St Teath Site across two buildings called Valley View (also known as Valley View Farm) and Rendle House, in Bodmin, which provided accommodation and care for autistic people or people with a learning disability.

On June 13, 2022 staff at Valley View served Miss Tina Allen lunch and she began choking. Staff made efforts to assist her but were unsuccessful. They called an ambulance, and she was taken to hospital. She was treated for aspiration of food but passed away on June 15, 2022.

Tina Allen had complex needs and required 24 hour, one-on-one support. In 2015, she had a choking incident, and guidance was issued by an external speech and language therapy team which was added to her care file. The team gave further guidance following other choking incidents in 2020, however it was not added to her care file to guide staff.

Catherine Campbell, CQC’s deputy director operations in Cornwall said: “When people receive care and treatment, they have the right to expect care providers will effectively address risks to their health and safety. Sadly this wasn’t the case for Miss Tina Allen at Valley View.

“HF Trust Limited’s failure to manage the risks to this resident was unacceptable.

“The majority of care providers do an excellent job. However, when a provider puts people in its care at risk of harm, we will take action to hold them to account and to protect people.

“This fine is not representative of the value of Miss Allen’s life, but it should serve as a reminder to care providers of their duty to assess and manage people’s risks to ensure they are safe.”