Coroner Condemns Care Staff.

Coroner John Pollard has called for an investigation when an inquest heard 77-year-old Dorothy Lyons died in care in an “emaciated state” weighing less than 4 stone. Dorothy weighed just 3st 9lbs when she died at the Laurel Bank Elderly Person’s Home in Hyde last July after having bronchial pneumonia. At the inquest the coroner condemned staff at the home and insisted that Mrs Lyon’s health should never have been allowed to deteriorate to such a level whilst in the care of professional care staff.

Mr Pollard said: “I do not accept in this day and age that anyone might reach such a poor nutritional state of this advancement, especially someone who has been, for the last few years, in the care of an establishment. I don’t think anybody noticed that this very old lady was losing weight dramatically or did anything about it. I believe that her poor nutritional state was such that it contributed to her death, so I will record a verdict of natural causes but will be adding that it was aggravated by neglect”

The inquest was told that Mrs Lyons was in reasonable health when she went to the Knott Lane Home in 2000, but was taken to hospital with a broken hip after a fall in 2003. Team leader at Laurel Bank, Diane Stafford, said Mrs Lyons was discharged in June when doctors agreed her condition had improved but she died the following month in “an advanced state of emaciation”. Ms Stafford told the inquest that she could not remember whether Mrs Lyons was under the supervision of a dietician, how many times the doctor had come to see her, or whether her weight loss was a major concern. A pathologist said Mrs Lyons weighed just 3st 9lbs when she died and that her weight would have made the pneumonia worse because or her poor nutritional state.

Coroner Mr Pollard said he would be writing to the National Care Standards Commission to demand a full investigation. Pam Kerr, area manager for the National Care Standards Commission, said they treat the concerns of coroners very seriously and would be investigating the matter. A spokesperson for Laurel Bank said: “We are seriously disputing the coroner’s verdict of neglect and will be taking every step to exonerate the name of Laurel Bank”.

NB. Ada Birchall, aged 91 years, died in 1999 weighing less than three stone. The frail lady was described as ‘a bag of bones’ when she was taken to hospital from Butler Green House care home in Chadderton. The home was run by Oldham Social Services. Ada died from pneumonia caused by malnutrition. Oldham Social Services refused to accept responsibility for her death.

Both care homes are in Greater Manchester.