Man’s death ruled natural causes

An 88-year-old man, who died 17 hours after being sent home from hospital, died of natural causes, an inquest has ruled.

William Romp was taken back to Brymore Road, Canterbury, by ambulance after a doctor deemed him fit for discharge.

But after the crew who dropped him home raised concerns about his condition, his family called for another doctor who told them to get him to hospital where he died later on December 6.

Coroner James Dillon said his death had been from a worsening of long-standing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

“Mr Romp suffered a rapid deterioration in the early hours of December 6,” Mr Dillon told the hearing at Canterbury Magistrates Court yesterday (Wednesday).

“He had a chronic condition which made him vulnerable to infection.”

Mr Dillon dismissed evidence that Mr Romp had not been properly cared for at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital as not relevant to the cause of death.

But Mr Romp’s wife Brenda, 83, is dissatisfied with the hearing’s outcome. She said afterwards: “We knew he was unwell, but we did not expect him to die.”

William Romp died after a doctor said he was fit to go home