AN ELDERLY dementia patient died after a series of falls at a Chester care home, an inquest has heard.
The inquest at Flint Coroner’s Court on Thursday was told how Phyllis Wilds, originally from Rhyl, had six falls within a six-month period while she was living at the Orchard Manor Nursing Home, in Greenacres Court.
In September last year the 88-year-old fell off a commode and broke her leg. She was taken to the Countess of Chester Hospital and underwent an operation.
She was then moved to the Bod Hyfryd Care Home, in Flint, but her condition rapidly deteriorated and she died on November 9.
A post mortem examination ruled she died of a pulmonary embolism, caused by a clot on her left leg that occurred due to the fracture.
Her son Roger Wilds, from Deeside, lodged a complaint with the Chester care home as he believed she had received an inadequate level of care.
The inquest heard how on the night of September 13 Mrs Wilds, who was prone to falls, had been left unattended on the commode.
In a statement to the coroner Mr Wilds said: “The nurse who phoned me told me she had fallen off the commode and had been left unattended. Why was she left unattended and if she hadn’t have been would she have fallen?”
Karen Lancaster, operations manager at the home, said Mrs Wilds had requested privacy while she used the commode and two members of staff waited outside her room.
Unfortunately they were called to deal with another patient and after hearing a bang they returned to find Mrs Wilds on the floor with her leg in an awkward position.
Ms Lancaster said: “Had the staff member stayed outside the room as Mrs Wilds had requested the incident could have still happened.”
A thorough investigation was carried out by the home following the incident.
North East Wales Coroner John Hughes ruled that adequate risk assessments had taken place and the proper protocol was followed.
He said: “The family are obviously extremely worried whether the correct level of care was provided, but there can’t ever be 24-hour, one-on-one care except in the family home. How she fell or why she fell will never be known.”
Mr Hughes returned a verdict of accidental death.