Hospital in death probe breached safety law

Kyle Flack, 20, of Stanford-le-Hope, Essex, died at Basildon University Hospital in October 2006 after his head became trapped in the rails surrounding a bed.

Yesterday, at Basildon Magistrates' Court, the hospital admitted

failing to ensure that patients were not exposed to risk.

It will be sentenced at a later date after magistrates committed the case to Crown Court.

After the hearing, Mr Flack's mother, Gill, described some care standards at the hospital as "absolute crap".

She said bosses should be "held accountable" and called for "staff sackings".

Lawyer Jonathan Price, for the hospital trust, entered a guilty plea and magistrates adjourned the hearing until March 15, when a judge is due to pass sentence at Basildon Crown Court.

Matthew Taylor, prosecuting on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive, told magistrates that Mr Flack died at the hospital on October 12, 2006, two days after being admitted with stomach problems.

"The failings of the hospital were causative of death," Mr Taylor told magistrates.

"Not only do we say that the trust's failings caused the death of Kyle but we also say they failed to heed previous warnings."

Mrs Flack, a specialist foster carer who adopted her son when he was two, criticised care standards and said the hospital struggled to cope with patients who had complicated needs.

She said she had raised concerns about the danger of bed bars a year before her son died.

Protective bumpers had been fitted but not fitted properly and her son had been left alone too often, she said.

When he got trapped he had been found by a cleaner, she added.