Condemnation for care home over condition of 94-year-old

Just five weeks before, sprightly 94-year-old Molly Darby had walked into the South Yorkshire privately-run care home in good physical health.

But she deteriorated to such an extent at The Beeches, in Wath-upon-Dearne, that she was taken out on a stretcher.

When admitted to hospital as an emergency case her family claimed she resembled a “concentration camp victim”.

Staff nurses were shocked to find the widowed mother-of-six had a chest infection, pneumonia, pressure sores, septicaemia, and ear and urinary infections.

They thought she would not survive the night, but she died two-and-a-half weeks later.

At the conclusion of a two-day inquest yesterday, Rotherham coroner Nicola Mundy said: “I find it very alarming that such a vulnerable person who relied on professionals for her care and support was presented to hospital in the way she was.

“The vulnerable in our society must be properly cared for on all levels and their dignity protected.

“I think that Mrs Darby was not afforded the care and dignity she deserved on this occasion.”

Nurse Julie Norton, who saw Mrs Darby on a ward at Barnsley District Hospital, said: “It was quite upsetting. She was really, really frail. When I was changing her bedding with another nurse we were all quite upset and distressed. Her right ear was impacted with ear wax and she had a pressure sore, her hair was thin and wispy and badly stuck to her face and neck and her eyes were completely shut.”

When matron Karen Sharpe saw the pensioner she immediately contacted social services

Endocrine specialist Dr Elizabeth Uchegbu, who examined Mrs Darby, reported: “She appeared neglected and unkempt, there was a discharge from both eyes, a smell of urine and she was distressed. She was covered in faeces when she first arrived.”

The doctor wrote later: “I got the impression she was neglected.”

Mrs Darby’s son Jim Darby, 72, told the Rotherham inquest his mother was “sprightly” when she was at home in West Melton.

“Her carers used to say my mum could get up the stairs better than they could,” he said.

But the great-grandmother developed dementia and needed 24-hour care so her family decided to put her in The Beeches. She went into the home on July 6, 2007.

“They kept saying they were feeding her and I had no reason not to believe it, but it turned out it was wrong,” Mr Darby said. “The nurse at the hospital said she had never seen anybody come in to hospital from a care home in such a bad state.”

Former care home manager Julie Morgan said in a statement that Mrs Darby was helped with her personal hygiene and toileting by staff but her diet was poor and she would often refuse to eat.

Pathologist Dr Caroline Quincy said the pensioner died on August 29, 2007 from broncho-pneumonia contributed to by coronary artery atheroma.

She said her reduced mobility could have played a part in increasing the risk of pneumonia and there was also evidence of malnourishment.

The Beeches was run by the Winnie Care Group at the time of Mrs Darby’s death but, last year, was sold to new owners MHA.

Moira Ockenden, area manager of The Beeches at the time, said staff claimed to wash or bath Mrs Darby on a daily basis.

Sam Newton, Rotherham Council’s safeguarding service manager, said an inquiry found Mrs Darby had suffered abuse through “neglect by omission” but it was not intentional. “It was based on poor recording, little or no evidence in respect of the care she was receiving”, she added.

Recording a narrative verdict, the coroner said: “Her basic care and medical requirements were not satisfactorily met and her decreased mobility during her time at The Beeches increased her risk of developing a chest infection.

“Her nutritional status compromised her ability to cope with the effects of the chest infection the latter of which led to her death.”

After the hearing, Mrs Darby’s grand-daughter Pearl Green, 56, said: “The care she was provided with in that place was absolutely disgusting. It was inhuman.”

Mrs Darby’s son Ray Darby, 68, added: “There was a total lack of care.”

Ms Mundy is writing to Winnie Care, which still operates other care homes, asking if they have reviewed their procedures, documentation and training.