Woman died after being dropped in care - inquest

A disabled woman was dropped on the floor by care home workers days before she died, an inquest has heard.

Lyn Parker, 64, hit her head and broke her ribs and arm when she fell 1.5m (5ft) after two care workers tried to lift her using a sling.

Ms Parker, from Kingston upon Thames, lay on the floor moaning in pain for more than an hour and a half before an ambulance was sent on 15 January 2021, West London Coroner's Court heard.

She died 10 days later in hospital.

Care workers Adjowa Larbi and Margaret Bolarinwa had tried to move Ms Parker from her wheelchair to her bed for her afternoon nap at Tudor Avenue Residential Care Home, in Hampton, south London, when she slipped out of the sling, the inquest heard.

Ms Larbi said in a statement: "I am extremely sad about what happened to Lynn and I still struggle to think about the accident now."

She said she thought Ms Parker had fallen because the loop under her thighs was not correctly attached, the hearing was told.

The court heard the care home called the emergency services at 13.30 GMT and the fall was categorised as "level five" meaning her injuries were not serious enough to take her to hospital yet.

After 90 minutes, staff at the care home called again with concerns about her oxygen levels and an ambulance was dispatched, the court heard.

Ms Parker, who was non-verbal, was taken to Kingston Hospital alone in an ambulance.

Asked why no one accompanied her, care home manager Mick Wood told the inquest he did not think anyone was allowed to go with Ms Parker because of Covid restrictions.

Ms Parker was discharged from hospital on 16 January but was taken back within hours after a care home worker found her left arm was "swollen and black", the court was told.

The inquest continues.

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