AN ELDERLY woman died days after suffering a “significant”
fall while being treated in a Southampton hospital, an inquest heard.
Doreen Sapsford, from Dibden, had been admitted to Southampton General Hospital after falling while out with her husband on October 25 last year.
Southampton Coroners’ Court heard that it followed a number of falls the 79-yearold had suffered in the month previous but she was recovering well and was expected to be discharged.
But on November 30, while on the ward, Mrs Sapsford, of Church Farm Close, fell and suffered serious head injuries.
She died on December 2.
An investigation into the fall found that Mrs Sapsford had been classed as a fall risk and had been told not to get up without assistance. It also found that she did have a call bell by her bed, but that it had not been used on the day of the fall.
Southampton Coroner Keith Wiseman said it was difficult to see what more the hospital could have done to prevent the fall and recorded a verdict of accidental death.
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