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Ham Choking Death: Resident "Should Have Been Supervised"
24 Sep
Summary
- Resident died due to choking on ham.
- Coroner noted consistent lack of supervision during meals.
- Previous choking incident and therapy referral occurred.
A resident at Crouched Friars Residential Home in Colchester, Philip Quelch, 56, tragically died on July 5, 2025, after choking on a piece of ham. Mr. Quelch, who had vascular dementia and neurofibromatosis, required assistance with eating and drinking, as documented in his care notes. An assistant coroner for Essex expressed serious concerns in a prevention of future deaths report, emphasizing that Mr. Quelch was not consistently supervised while eating.
This fatal incident followed a previous choking episode at the home. Mr. Quelch had been referred to a speech and language therapy service for swallowing difficulties, but the referral was closed as he had no further choking incidents while awaiting an appointment. On the day of his death, he was served ham salad and left unattended. He was discovered unconscious shortly after, having been provided his meal between 12:30 and 12:45 BST, with checks around 13:30 and 14:00. The care home has since indicated that resident safety has been enhanced.
