Second World War concentration camp survivor died after fall in Sandwell Hospital
A survivor of the Second World War concentration camps who escaped Nazi-occupied Poland for a new life in Britain died after falling whilst in hospital, an inquest heard.
Mieczyslaw Kowalski, described as 'tough as old boots' by his family, had been taken to Sandwell General Hospital in West Bromwich after falling downstairs at his Great Barr home on New Year's Day.
After a wait in the emergency department, which was extremely busy, he was examined and found to have suffered no serious harm.
But a nurse found him shivering on the floor of his cubicle later that night.
A post mortem found he died of pneumonia due to immobility as a result of the falls.
His family told Black Country coroner Zafar Siddique of their concerns of a 'cover-up' because they were not told about the second fall.
The Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust is now changing policy after admitting there was no falls risk assessment for A&E patients.
Mr Kowalski escaped from a concentration camp in his native Poland as an 11-year-old boy, after his sister had died in his arms, and with the help of nuns fled to Britain via India, said his son-in-law Michael Cloke.
He described the 87-year-old retired factory supervisor as 'an amazingly strong, extremely hard-working man'.
In his retirement he enjoyed fishing, took a keen interest in current affairs and loved being with his family.
On January 1, his wife heard a thud on the stairs and found him at the bottom of the stairs of their home in Ivanhoe Road, Great Barr.
At A&E, he was assessed as a category 3 patient, to be seen within an hour.
The hospital has since acknowledged he should have been seen either immediately or within 10 minutes.
Various tests were carried out which came back as normal but at 3.50am he was found on the floor, shaking, rigid and with clenched teeth.
Dr Mohammad Wani, emergency medicine consultant, said that further tests showed he had lost sensation in his limbs, indicating he had developed central cord syndrome.
Black Country coroner Zafar Siddique decided against making any special recommendations.
He ruled that the hospital trust had addressed the issues raised.
He concluded that Mr Kowalski's death had been accidental.
