'Severely ill' widow died two days after care home move

AN ELDERLY widow was so "acutely and severely ill" when she was taken to hospital from a privately-run care home that she died two days later, an inquest heard.

Mother-of-four Doris Mallinson, 80, was in terrible pain with infected shingles, bed sores, diarrhoea and a mark on her leg which a staff nurse thought was a burn.

Although her health was deteriorating rapidly, the day before she was admitted to hospital a carer told the pensioner's granddaughter over the phone: "She's very vocal and fit and well."

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Evidence at the Sheffield inquest revealed the pensioner had been suffering from shingles for at least a fortnight and had not been eating or drinking fluids properly for some time.

She had refused requests to be admitted to Barnsley Hospital but, when she arrived following an emergency call, nurses were shocked by her condition.

Emergency department staff nurse Victoria Armitage said: "On arrival she appeared dirty, she was covered in faeces which were dried onto her nightgown.

"She had a mark on her leg which I thought was a burn and she had no dressings on her shingles which were infected."

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Her family questioned the care she received during a three-month stay at The Firs, a privately-owned care home on Dodworth Road in Barnsley, and claim poor medical record-keeping.

Nurse Armitage said Mrs Mallinson turned up "drowsy and confused" and was incontinent. A doctor who examined her said she was "acutely and severely ill."

The nurse allowed her relatives into the treatment room as the pensioner was so unwell.

She said: "No information had accompanied the patient from the care home regarding her medical condition. I can't recall a carer being present."

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She informed her senior colleagues and an adult protection matron.

Mrs Mallinson, from Worsbrough Common, Barnsley, was given emergency care but died shortly afterwards on June 7, 2008.The cause of death was given as pneumonia and old age.

She went into the home on March 5, 2008 following a series of falls.

Mrs Mallinson's daughter Shirley Savage said she visited her mother on May 29 and was told she had shingles.

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"I raised my concerns with the staff but was not told anything until she died. We were never even told she had diarrhoea."

Dr Simon Park, who visited Mrs Mallinson at the home, said he found her "very poorly" on May 30 but she would not go to hospital. "You have to take the patient's wishes into consideration," he said.

Acting care home manager Carol Bottom admitted that when she took over in April the record-keeping "could have been better."

But she said daily records were kept of patients' care and anything of concern was put in a report book for staff handovers.

Mrs Naylor recorded a verdict of natural causes. She said: "I do not believe the way she was cared for was linked to her death."

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