Cheltenham General Hospital staff not to blame for Painswick pensioner’s death, inquest finds

Richard Burges-Watson suffered bleeding on the brain after a fall at the hospital when he was trying to get out of bed to use the bathroom and died two weeks later.

Mr Burges-Watson, who used a walking frame, had a history of brain bleeds.

The inquest at Gloucester Coroner’s Court on June 26 heard how Mr Burges-Watson had been in hospital for an operation on his arm and suffered the fall at around 4am on May 26 last year.

Chief coroner Katy Skerrett said: “When Richard was found he was lying sideways, trying to climb back onto the bed. It was likely that he suffered the fall when he was trying to get out of bed to use the bathroom on the ward."

She added: “At first he appeared to be fine and showed no signs of internal bleeding. But in the next few hours his condition began to deteriorate quickly.

“He was first sent for a CT scan and was then transferred to the intensive care unit. Unfortunately even minimal trauma to the brain can cause serious issues for people in his condition.

“His health then continued to worsen, until his death on June 2, 2014.

The family had raised concerns that hospital staff should have been more aware of his medical history and raised the rails on his bed to protect him.

His wife, Ann Burges-Watson, who lives in Painswick, said he had been prone to falls, and that staff had not properly assessed his risk when admitting him to hospital.

But Mrs Skerrett said she was satisfied by the response from the staff and said Mr Burges-Watson’s death could not have been prevented.

Four witnesses – all nurses at the hospital – gave evidence at the inquest.

Hannah Stanley said: “He was very mobile and appeared very safe on his feet."

She added: "In my professional judgement there was no need for the protective rails to be raised on his bed.”

Mrs Skerrett concluded that the death was an accident and called it a “tragic event”.