Two care home workers have been jailed after a woman under their care was scalded by hot water at a Harrow care home.

Francis Shanique, 21, of Dagmar Avenue, Wembley, and Janet Ofem, 53, of Chandos Road, failed to check the temperature of a bath which had been run.

It resulted in a resident of the Care Management Group home, in Carlton Avenue, being severely scalded.

The pair were found guilty of neglecting a patient, and each were sentenced to six months behind bars on Friday (May 5).

Shanique was attending to the victim, a 37-year-old woman with severe learning and physical difficulties.

She left the victim for a short time on her own in the bathroom and on her return the victim had fallen on the floor, having soiled herself.

Shanique called her colleague, Ofem, for assistance after realising the victim needed a bath.

Ofem ran a bath and the two women put the victim in a hoist in order to lower her into the bath.

But the victim became very distressed, and the two women thought the straps on the hoist were fastened too tight.

Only when the victim was raised out of the bath they realised she had been scalded.

Shanique tried pouring cold water over the burns and an ambulance was called.

The victim was treated for burns in hospital and subsequently contracted pneumonia.

She has since recovered from her burns and injuries, and has been discharged from hospital.

Detective sergeant Amar Patel, of Harrow CID, said: "This is a very sad case.

"The victim is a very vulnerable lady who suffers from severe learning and physical difficulties and is unable to walk or talk.

"She was living in what should have been a place of safety. Instead she suffered terrible burns as a result of these two women failing to do the most basic of checks.

"I hope that this result sends out a clear message that we take neglect in care homes extremely seriously.

"The residents of such establishments are amongst the most vulnerable in society and we will always seek to prosecute those who fail in their duty of care towards their clients."

A Care Management Group spokesman said: "Providing the highest quality of care to every individual we support is so important to us.

"We greatly regret this isolated incident and we apologise unreservedly for any distress caused.

"We have the strongest and most robust procedures in place and, when inspected by the Care Quality Commission in June 2016, the service was rated ‘Good’ in all five areas including ‘Safe’.

"At the time of the incident we suspended the two support workers involved, whilst internal and police investigations were carried out. As a result of our investigation, the two workers were dismissed and referred to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

"This incident is out of step with everything that we stand for and actions like this will never be tolerated."

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