Coroner records verdict of “natural causes contributed to by hospital acquired infections which were being treated”

Posted 13/02/2012

On Friday 10th February 2012 Norwich Coroner William Armstrong investigated the death of Mrs Vera Knights, formerly of Lowestoft, who died on 3rd February 2011, aged 88. Mrs Knights was admitted to the James Paget Hospital on Saturday 11th December 2010 with a broken leg following a fall. She never returned home and died less than two months’ later; the post mortem stated the primary causes of death as pneumonia and heart disease. The inquest heard that she went into hospital infection-free but during her six week stay contracted two infections. The Coroner recorded a verdict of death by “natural causes contributed to by hospital acquired infections which were being treated”.During her stay in hospital, Mrs Knights developed pressure sores, contracted C-difficile and had problems with facial swelling due to an abscess in her throat caused by a streptococcal A infection. She was moved for a short period to the Gwen Baker Unit at Lowestoft Hospital before returning to the James Paget.Sharon Allison, a medical injury specialist at Ashtons Legal Solicitors, represented Mrs Knights’ family at the Inquest. She comments: “Mrs Knights developed a series of complications during her stay in hospital from which she never recovered. Like many elderly people, she was having ongoing treatment for various conditions prior to her admission to hospital but when she was admitted following her fall her symptoms for other ailments were under control.During her hospital stay she contracted two separate infections. The inquest heard that the head of infection control at the James Paget was concerned about cross-contamination and took appropriate measures, however as the incidences of C Difficile and Strep A on Ward 7 continued to rise, the situation was deemed to be an ‘outbreak’ and the ward was closed and deep cleaned. There have been no further incidences since. Representatives of the hospital acknowledged during the inquest that their communications with the family about the infection could have been better.”