Trust may face legal action over death
3:02am Thursday 13th March 2008
By Ian Noble »
A HEALTH trust could face legal action from the family of a pensioner who fell 30ft down a hospital stairwell.
Ernest Common, 73, died at the Friarage Hospital, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, on September 21 last year.
Yesterday, a jury at Northallerton Magistrates' Court returned a verdict of accidental death after a three-day inquest.
During his hospital stay, Mr Common, who was described as confused, twice left his ward unseen.
The second time, on September 9, he climbed over a second floor banister at the hospital, falling two floors. He suffered broken ribs, which punctured a lung, a broken ankle and a gashed head.
Mr Common later suffered a perforated bowel, which caused blood poisoning and multiple organ failure. It is not known if the condition was linked to the fall.
Since Mr Common's death, safety changes at the hospital have been introduced, and funding has been found to complete work on security locks to be fitted on the ward doors.
But Mr Common's nephew, Roy Barker, of Bullamoor Road, Northallerton, said he was considering taking legal action against the trust.
He said: "Suing the trust won't bring my uncle back, or turn the clock back, but it's something to discuss among the family."
Mr Common, of Fernwood Close, Brompton, near North-allerton, was a chief inspector with the Hong Kong Police.
Simon Pleydell, chief executive of South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "This was a tragic accident and our thoughts and condolences are with the family.
"We have fully implemented the measures requested by the Health and Safety Executive, which includes improvements to our policies, communication and dissemination of information.
"The trust has numerous clinical policies and procedures, which are constantly checked and updated and nursing staff and doctors are made aware of these.
"We have also made physical improvements to the medical wards and a swipe card access system has been introduced which means patients will find it more difficult to exit the area at night."
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ACCIDENTAL DEATH: Ernest Common, 73
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