MK Hospital “missed opportunities” to save grandmother

Hospital staff developed a "casual approach" to a grandmother's care after she was admitted following a fall at her home, an inquest heard.

Yvonne Luck, 76, was taken to Milton Keynes University Hospital on 2 November 2022, and died a week later.

Assistant coroner Sean Cummings said the hospital "missed opportunities" to treat her when she was found to have an established infection.

He said he would write to the hospital, which has been contacted for comment.

Dr Cummings said it was difficult to identify the cause of Mrs Luck's death due to a lack of investigation by the hospital trust.

The inquest heard that Mrs Luck had fallen over a clothes horse, splitting her knee open and badly bruising her hip.

Dr Cummings said it was likely Mrs Luck arrived at the hospital with an established infection, which worsened.

No post-mortem examination was carried out, but the coroner concluded on Wednesday that the "least unlikely" cause of her death was a pulmonary embolism - a blood clot in the lungs.

He said the underlying cause was a fall, together with a likely chest infection.

Dr Cummings said Mrs Luck's clinical notes seemed to generate confusion among staff.

He said the use and prescription of antibiotics were "of a poor standard", with Mrs Luck firstly being given an drug to which she was allergic, then excessive use of another drug.

Staff then failed "to provide her with any antibiotics for a period of 22 hours because of difficulties with venous access", he added.

The coroner said it was difficult to understand how a casual approach was allowed to develop in her treatment.

He did not issue a Prevention of Future Deaths Notice.

Helen Thompson from Fieldfisher, representing the family at the inquest, said: "There were clearly major issues around lack of administration of effective antibiotics that might have prevented the infection from progressing.

"It is heartbreaking that with better care, she could still be alive."

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