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A care home firm has been fined nearly £2million after a resident died when she choked on a piece of food while eating her dinner alone in her room. The 96-year-old passed away following the incident at Cradlehall Care Home in Inverness , which took place while she was supposed to be on a soft diet. The specialist eating regime said she should eat moist and bite-sized food and her care plan stated that she should be closely supervised when eating and drinking. But on the afternoon of 11 June 2022 the unit in which she was accommodated was staffed by two agency carers who had responsibility for twelve residents At about 5.45pm the woman was served a meal of macaroni and chips while sitting up in bed. Her carer left to get a drink to accompany her meal. But the carer in question was then forced to deal with immediate issues with two other residents which required her to call for assistance from another unit. As a result of this disruption the resident was left on her own for up to 20 minutes by the time the carer returned to her room with the drink. The carer raised the alarm and other staff came to assist. A paramedic arrived shortly afterwards and pronounced her dead. HC-One Limited, the company which runs the care home, were prosecuted over the incident. At Inverness Sheriff Court today, Monday, October 20, 2025, the firm pleaded guilty to failings under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company admitted breaching Section 3(1) and Section 33(1)(a) of the act - not exposing others to risks while working, and failing to discharge that duty. They were fined £1.8 million for the offence, and ordered to pay a £135,000 victim surcharge. Victim surcharges are used to help support victims of crime . Debbie Carroll, who leads on health and safety investigations for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) , spoke after the sentencing. She said: "The death of this vulnerable woman could have been prevented if a safe system of work were in place to ensure that on any occasion she ate a meal, she was subject to an appropriate level of supervision. "HC-One Limited‘s failure left all residents at risk. This prosecution should reiterate the need for all care homes to protect their residents and remind them they will be held accountable if they fail to do so." The statement from COPFS, Scotland's prosecuting authority, continued: "Our thoughts are with the family of the resident at what must be a difficult time for them."
