SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois Department of Public Health has fined Royal Heights Nursing & Rehabilitation Center $5,000 (Statement of Violation) for failure to prevent abuse of a resident by a staff member. The 234-bed skilled and intermediate care facility is located at 900 Royal Heights Road in Belleville.

Responding to a complaint, Department surveyors learned the facility did not take immediate action to remove an employee suspected of abuse from resident care.

A resident informed staff the male employee choked her, covered her face and hit her arms and stomach. Four days later, facility administration interviewed the resident and learned the employee had abused her in the past. The woman stated she had informed the charge nurse of repeated abuse, but no prevention measures were instituted.

Surveyors also discovered the employee had allegedly abused another resident, but was allowed to continue to work as a security guard and again as an aide. He was not terminated until after the most recent incident.

Royal Heights Nursing & Rehabilitation Center did not request a hearing on the Department's action.