Doris Douthwaite

PFD Report Historic (No Identified Response) Ref: 2018-0294
Date of Report 3 September 2018
Coroner Chris Morris
Response Deadline ✓ from report 29 October 2018
Coroner's Concerns (AI summary)
Vulnerable residents with dementia were left unsupervised due to unclear policies, an ambiguous falls risk assessment tool, and a lack of investigation into multiple falls, missing learning opportunities.
View full coroner's concerns
The evidence before the court suggested that at Greatwood House, vulnerable residents including residents with dementia such as Mrs Douthwaite, be left unsupervised at times in communa areas by carers undertaking other tasks. The evidence before the court was that there are currently no clear written requirements in force across HC One'$ homes mandating the attendance of a colleague to monitor the communal area in question before leaving it unattended; The Risk of Falls Assessment Tool currently used across HC-One' $ homes was demonstrated in court to be unclear and susceptible to different interpretations: When asked about it in the course of her evidence, HC-One'$ Area Director was not aware as to whether or not this Assessment Tool had recently been benchmarked as against others used within the industry; Notwithstanding the fact Mrs Douthwaite had 3 falls over the course ofas many days in February 2018, HC One had not; asat the date of the Inquest; undertaken any investigation into the circumstances of these. The absence of any investigation by HC-One in this respect represents a missed opportunity to ascertain if any learning can be derived from these incidents for the benefit of other residents:
Sent To
  • HC-One
Response Status
Linked responses 0 of 1
56-Day Deadline 29 Oct 2018
About PFD responses

Organisations named in PFD reports must respond within 56 days explaining what actions they are taking.

Source: Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Report Sections
Investigation and Inquest
On 13TH March 2018, Rachel Galloway, Assistant Coroner, opened an Inquest into the death of Mrs Doris Douthwaite, who died at Willow Wood Hospice, Ashton-Under-Lyne o 26th February 2018, 93 vears. The investigation concluded at the of the Inquest which heard on 28th August 2018 At the end of the Inquest, recorded a narrative conclusion that Mrs Douthwaite died as a consequence of bronchopneumonia. Whilst she would have been at risk of developing this condition in any event, it is that her death was contributed to by a hip fracture sustained in a fall at her care home_
Action Should Be Taken
In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths believe you and your organisation have the power to take such action: may and
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Data sourced from Courts and Tribunals Judiciary under the Open Government Licence.