Former Chesham care home boss fined for failing to protect people from sexual assault

The former boss of a care home in Chesham has been fined for failing to protect people from sexual assault.

Aleksandra Krawczynska was the registered manager of Chesham Bois Manor on Amersham Road, which is run by B&M Care Homes and provides residential, residential dementia, respite and end of life care.

This week, she was ordered to pay a fine of £984 and a victim surcharge of £98 by Brighton Magistrates’ Court after a prosecution brought by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Ms Krawczynska pleaded guilty to two offences of failing to safeguard service users from sexual abuse, exposing them to a significant risk of avoidable harm, on or before November 29, 2021.

One offence related to a failure to ‘manage systems’ to prevent abuse, while another involved a failure to effectively oversee the processes to investigate allegations or evidence of abuse.

The court case follows concerns at Chesham Bois Manor over the management of ‘sexualised behaviour’ by one of the people living at the home towards other people there.

Before moving to Chesham Bois Manor this person was receiving treatment at hospital after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, affecting the persons’ memory, cognitive ability and reasoning.

During this time, Ms Krawczynska was the registered manager of Chesham Bois Manor.

Several instances of inappropriate sexualised behaviour by the resident were recorded at the home, including sexual touching and the person exposing themselves.

A spokesperson for the CQC said that none of the residents the behaviour was directed towards had the capacity to consent to the actions.

An investigation by the healthcare watchdog found that Ms Krawczynska did not effectively carry out risk assessments and management to prevent risks posed by the person behaving inappropriately so that abuse of other residents could be prevented.

The CQC said the former manager did not follow the proper processes for ‘conducting timely investigations’, following alleged incidents of inappropriate sexualised behaviour.

Amy Jupp, the CQC’s deputy director of operations in the south of England, described Ms Krawczynska’s ‘failure’ to protect vulnerable people in her as ‘shocking’.

They said: “What makes it worse is the risks they were exposed to would have been avoided had Aleksandra Krawczynska done what was required of her under CQC regulations and under the homes’ own safeguarding policy.”

Jupp added: “This case should remind care managers they must always take all reasonable steps to manage risks to people’s safety, including ensuring people are safeguarded from abuse and ensuring that systems and processes in place are effectively operated in practice.”

Chesham Bois Manor is now under new management.

A spokesperson for B&M said: “Throughout this investigation B&M Care has worked closely with CQC and liaised with the appropriate regulators.

“When we became aware of the situation we acted immediately and Ms Krawczynska was dismissed in November 2021. The care, wellbeing and safety of our residents and staff remain our priority.”