Post’s former assistant editor suffered fatal fall in hospital, inquest told
THE widow of former Bristol Post assistant editor Kevan Blackadder says she plans to take legal action alleging medical negligence after he suffered a fatal fall in a hospital ward.
Mr Blackadder, 60, had been unable to get any help from staff when he wanted to use the toilet at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, his wife Liz Lewis told an inquest yesterday.
He tried to make it to the toilet alone – but fell and fractured his skull, she said.
“My whole experience at the hospital was extremely shocking and I want answers as to why somebody in their care suffered such a fatal fall,” Ms Lewis added.
She said that her husband had been forced to spend two days on a trolley in the hospital on January 13 and 14 this year before even being admitted to the ward where he later died on January 18.
After the assistant Gloucestershire Coroner Roland Wooderson had recorded an accidental death conclusion, Ms Lewis added that she plans on bringing a medical negligence claim against the NHS trust which runs the hospital.
The inquest was told that Manchester-born Mr Blackadder, of Knapps Crescent, Woodmancote, near Cheltenham, was suffering from bowel cancer and was receiving palliative care.
His widow said that on January 13 he kept falling over at home and she became so concerned that she called an ambulance.
He was then taken into A&E at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.
But, she stated, he was kept on a trolley for two days before being admitted.
She also claimed that the A&E staff and the clinical staff on the ward had not consulted each other about her husband’s light-headedness and had differing views about the cause.
The inquest heaard that on May 17 Prof Mark Pietroni, director for safety and medical matters at
Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, wrote to Ms Lewis and offered his condolences.
He wrote that, in summary, Mr Blackadder had been receiving palliative care for his bowel cancer and had been admitted to the hospital on January 14 after his condition had deteriorated.
“Following successful removal of excessive fluids from his body the hospital planned to keep him in for a few days for observation,” he said.
“However, he suffered an unwitnessed fall as he attempted to make his way, unaided, to the toilet during the early hours of January 18, 2021.
“The fall resulted in a fracture of his skull and bleeding within the brain and he died within eight hours of his fall.”
The inquest heard that when Ms Lewis arrived at the hospital after Mr Blackadder’s fall she was concerned at his appearance as he was still covered in congealed blood, especially on one of his ears.
She said that the staff showed “little sympathy” towards her husband and that this was illustrated by the delay in cleaning him up.
Emma Hart, ward manager, said this was an exception to the high standards normally adhered to in the hospital.
Ms Lewis added: “When Kevan first arrived at the hospital he spent two days on a trolley. I was told that the medical staff didn’t think he would make it out of hospital alive.
“The hospital staff called me to inform me that Kevan had suffered a fall. As soon as I arrived I noticed he was barely conscious and covered in blood. His right ear was particulary covered in congealed blood .
“At 11.55am my husband stopped breathing and I went for help. A nurse replied ‘He’s gone.’ I stayed with him for the next hour.
“As I left with my husband’s belongings I asked the nurses to clean him up. I was utterly disgusted with their attitude.
“My whole experience at the hospital had been extremely shocking and I want answers as to why somebody in their care suffered such a fatal fall.”
After the coroner had announced his conclusion of accidental death, Ms Lewis told him she planned on bringing a medical negligence claim against the hospital authority.
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust were approached for comment yesterday afternoon but had not responded by the time the went to print.