Son pursues legal advice after mum’s death

A Chesterfield Coroner’s Court inquest heard on Thursday, February 20, how Marjorie Wilde, 87, of Annesley Close, Hasland, Chesterfield, had been admitted to Chesterfield Royal Hospital following a fall at home.

Mrs Wilde was admitted to the stroke ward on May 19, 2011, and as she was making progress, according to the inquest, she was approved to use a Zimmer Frame by June 1, 2011.

But six days later she was found by staff fallen near a day room and toilet and her condition deteriorated during the next two weeks until she passed away on June 22.

Mr Wilde, of Grassmoor, said: “She shouldn’t have been allowed out of bed unsupervised and on her own with just a Zimmer Frame. Someone should have been with her.

“I’m pursuing further legal advice but it’s not about compensation I just want to make sure nothing like this happens to anyone else.”

Mrs Wilde had suffered about five falls before she was admitted to hospital, according to Mr Wilde, and she had suffered a stroke in 2001.

The court heard she had been admitted to hospital with a pot on her right arm which was removed before she was allowed to use the Zimmer Frame.

Mrs Wilde also had heart problems, according to pathologist Dr Roger Start, and she was at serious risk of a cardiac death and had previously suffered a subdural haemorrhage in May.

The post mortem result stated Mrs Wilde died of an acute subdural haemorrhage after her hospital fall and Assistant Coroner for Derbyshire Paul McCandless was satisfied this was due to the hospital fall and was the cause of death.

Matron Susan Potter, at Chesterfield Royal Hospital, said a decision was made to allow Mrs Wilde to use a wheeled Zimmer Frame and it was felt she could “mobilise without assistance”.

Ms Potter said: “She was a very independent lady. She was keen to get up when she first came in. She realised that in order to go home she needed to take part in an assessment.

“Four days after she had her pot off she was up at 6am, washing and dressing and making her own bed.”

Ms Potter explained a bed sensor alarm had been present but there was no documentation indicating it had been removed.

Occupational therapist Wendy Elliott said Mrs Wilde had progressed in hospital with a Zimmer Frame even though she had been disorientated during a home assessment and had misused the frame.

Mr McCandless felt the falls risks and personal handling assessments were focussed and proportionate.

He recorded an inquest conclusion of death due to an accident.