Investigation and inquest
On the 13th November 2014 I opened an inquest touching the death of Amanda Susan Harris, aged 62 years old. The inquest concluded on the 26th May 2015. The conclusion of the inquest was “Narrative”, the medical case of death was 1a Massive Pulmonary Thromboembolism 1b Immobility following fracture of the right metatarsal bone. And under paragraph 2 Obesity
Circumstances of the death
On the 18th October 2014 Amanda Susan Harris fell at her care home and fractured a bone in her right foot. Mrs Harris was taken to the minor injuries unit where a cast was placed on her foot and an appointment made to a fracture clinic, there being no such facility at the Minor Injuries Unit.
Mrs Harris returned to her care home where she was unable to get out of bed. On the 1st November 2014 she was found having died in her bed by care home staff.
Coroner’s concerns
That Mrs Harris was not seen by a doctor before leaving the Minor Injuries Unit, that anticoagulant therapy was not considered and that when fixing an appointment for the fracture clinic the potential immobility from the injury and the effects of that immobility were not assessed.