Neglect role in disabled
man’s death

Paul Ridd, 53, died within days of being transferred from a intensive care unit (ITU) to a busy surgical ward and a host of avoidable failures were identified as combining to cause his premature death.

Mr Ridd, from Baglan, near Neath, South Wales, had severe learning disabilities and was unable to speak. He was admitted to Morriston Hospital in Swansea at the end of December 2008 where he underwent a bowel operation.

It was during a post-operative stay in intensive care that he contracted pneumonia and eventually spent three weeks in the unit.

Breathing problems, partly due to the condition, meant he also had to have fluid sucked from his lungs on a regular basis. But within three days of the transfer he was dead from a build up of fluid on his chest which could and should have been removed.

The inquest in Swansea yesterday recorded a verdict of natural causes contributed to by neglect.

Swansea coroner Philip Rogers referred to a scathing report by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales 18 months ago, which described Mr Ridd’s care as “abject”, and said the failure to apply suction was a “clear and direct causal connection with Paul’s death.”

The inquest had heard vital guidance on treating Mr Ridd was missed from his care plan when he was transferred and directions to nursing staff to use apparatus to suck built up fluid from his chest were not copied.