A HAMPSHIRE woman would not have died had it not been for a fall at her care home, an inquest heard.

Daphne Palmer, who lived at Knights Grove Care Home in North Baddesley, died on July 21 last year after a fall from a hoist, Winchester Coroner’s Court heard.

She was admitted to Southampton General Hospital on July 14 with a leg fracture.

The 95-year-old, who suffered from dementia, was given non-operative treatment, as surgery on her leg was deemed too risky.

She later died from her injury.

Ms Palmer, a retired secretary and widow of Walter Palmer, had been unable to walk or communicate prior to the incident, which meant she required the use of a hoist to help her to move. 

Carer Victoria Brown stated how there had been no previous difficulty in using Ms Palmer’s hoist before the incident. 

Occupational therapist Samantha Pooley said that Ms Palmer’s bed could have been moved somewhere to allow a softer transfer, and that the sling section of the hoist may have been too big for her, which resulted in her fall.

When asked by senior coroner Grahame Short whether Ms Palmer may have lost weight which led to her slipping from the hoist, interim manager of Knights Grove Suzanne Brown replied: “Daphne’s weight was stable - there was no evidence.”

She added that since the incident there had been more emphasis on making staff aware of the environment in patient’s rooms, and that monthly environmental checks had been introduced and that all residents had been reassessed for the size of their slings. 

Central Hampshire coroner Grahame Short said that he thought either it was the size of the sling that led to Ms Palmer’s fall, or that there was a failure with the sling itself.

He found that the manoeuvre used to move Ms Palmer was also carried out ineffectively without a chair or the bed being present underneath her.

“I do not believe she would have died at this time had it not been for the fall,” he said.

He recorded an accidental death, caused by a leg fracture.

After the hearing  Veronica Marsh, director of London and South, Bupa Care Services, said:  “We’d like to offer our sincere condolences to Mrs Palmer’s family during this difficult time. 

“The actions of the staff involved in this incident are being investigated and appropriate steps will be taken. This case doesn’t reflect the quality of care provided by the committed people who work here.

“As a precaution, we have re-trained our staff to make sure residents are moved safely, as their health and wellbeing is our top priority. We have continued to carry out regular checks of all our equipment, including slings.”