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Coroner Condemns Inadequate End-of-Life Care at Hospital
10 Nov
Summary
- Terminally ill woman died in emergency department, not specialized unit
- Lack of beds at hospital meant she couldn't receive proper care
- Hospital apologized that her "end-of-life experience was not ideal"
In a concerning report, a coroner has condemned the inadequate end-of-life care provided to a terminally ill patient at a local hospital. According to the findings, Kathleen Ward passed away in the emergency department of Hull Royal Infirmary, rather than in a specialized unit that could have better catered to her needs.
The coroner, Lorraine Harris, noted that the lack of available beds at the Queen's Centre in Castle Hill Hospital meant Mrs. Ward was forced to spend her final hours in a location that "did not have the specialism, the medication, or the privacy to care for her." Harris expressed grave concerns that the circumstances of Mrs. Ward's death could be repeated, as no expansion in the number of beds at Castle Hill had been made.
In response, the Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has apologized that Mrs. Ward's "end-of-life experience in the emergency department was not ideal." The trust acknowledged the shortcomings in providing the appropriate level of care and privacy for terminally ill patients during their final moments.
