Investigation and inquest
On 27 October 2022 I commenced an investigation into the death of Kim Georgina STROUD aged 65. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 14 February 2024.
The medical cause of death was:
1a) Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
1b)
1c)
2) Bladder Cancer, Covid Pneumonia
The conclusion of the inquest was:
Natural causes.
Circumstances of the death
Mrs Stroud was admitted to hospital on 4 August 2022 for a transurethral resection of bladder tumour which had been cancelled 5 times. She became unwell on 15 August 2022 with a chest infection against a background of severe interstitial lung disease and chronic type 1 respiratory failure. She tested positive for covid on 10 September 2022. Despite being on multiple antibiotics for chest infections and all other treatment she remained on high oxygen demand and was episodically confused. She died suddenly on 11 October 2022.
Coroner’s concerns
Mrs Stroud’s care appears to have been non-compliant with both hospital policies and the Nursing and Midwifery Council regulations for the administration of medication.
Mrs Stroud’s relatives found pots with tablets in on several occasions just left on their mother’s bedside table. These had been signed for as given. On one occasion Mrs Stroud had concealed 9 tablets inside her incontinence pads because she thought she was being poisoned, clearly not supervised in taking these either. It was extremely unsafe to give tablets in this way. Mrs Stroud had delirium and could not be left to take them herself. There were other confused and mobile patients on the same ward who could have picked them up.
On several occasions Mrs Stroud was found in her bed so soaked in urine (I have seen photographs of this) that the urine was dripping off the edge of the bed and the family had to wash and change her themselves. Also wash faeces from her body.