County Down care home provider fined following death of resident

Date published: 19 May 2026

Following an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI), Healthcare Ireland (no.2) Limited, part of the wider Healthcare Ireland Group, has today been fined at Lisburn Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to a single health and safety offence.

The investigation followed the death of an 85-year-old male resident of Pond Park Nursing Home, 2 Derriaghy Way, Lisburn, BT28 3SF. On the morning of 14 September 2024, at approximately 08.45am, the resident was found in his bedroom having suffered a significant head injury, consistent with a fall. 

Healthcare Ireland (no.2) Limited pled guilty to an offence under Article 5 of the Health and Safety at Work (Northern Ireland) Order 1978. 

The investigation found shortcomings in the residents’ night-time supervision. It was established that they had not been observed by staff since 06.45am that morning, contrary to the requirements of their individual care plan. Furthermore, the resident who was assessed as having a high risk of falls required the placement of a buzzer mat within his room. This was to alert staff should he step onto the mat, wander, or fall. At the time of the incident no buzzer mat was present within the room. The investigation revealed inconsistent knowledge amongst staff as to the requirement for the mat, and the absence of the mat was also not identified as part of the Home’s management auditing process.

Prosecutors in the PPS’s Fraud & Departmental Section worked closely with the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland to build a robust prosecution case.

HSENI Major Investigation Team Inspector Kiara Blackburn explained: “Individual care plans for nursing home residents must be followed. The requirements within these plans should be clearly understood, effectively implemented, and consistently maintained through appropriate staff monitoring.

“Assistive technologies, such as sensor pressure mats used to detect patient movement, require careful oversight and regular maintenance to ensure they function correctly and support the safety and wellbeing of service users.”