Staffordshire woman died after alarm call blunder
An 87-year-old woman was left lying on the floor of her home for six hours after an emergency alarm call operator misheard her and failed to send assistance, an inquest heard.
Joan Barratt had tripped over in the early hours of the morning and made a call to the telecare service for Stafford and Rural Homes.
But the call operator could not properly hear and the pensioner ended up left on the floor until a carer arrived later in the morning.
Mrs Barratt had suffered a cut to her head and was taken to Stafford Hospital, where she died weeks later from broncho-pneumonia.
An inquest at Cannock Coroner's Court was told the fact she was on the floor for such a long time would not have caused her death, but would have impacted on her well-being as a frail and elderly woman.
The emergency alarm service is contacted through a pendent and the inquest was told an operator was struggling to hear when contacted at around 3.15am on January 27 this year.
She believed Mrs Barratt said she was okay but still called the landline. When she didn't get an answer she assumed the pensioner was asleep and had accidentally made contact.
It was not until 9.15am that Mrs Barratt, of Tixall Mews, Tixall, was found and taken to hospital. She developed a chest infection and died on February 10.
Debbie Emmitt, of Stafford and Rural Homes, told the inquest held by Staffordshire Coroner Andrew Haigh that protocol had been followed by calling the landline.
She said the process of calling next of kin or emergency services if concerned will now be more rigorous.
She told the hearing: "In this case the operator made a human error in judging the circumstances. This matter has been dealt with by the company's internal investigation procedures."
Coroner Mr Haigh recorded a verdict of accidental death and said: "The real issue in this matter has been the significance of any delay in finding Mrs Barratt on the floor of the home.
"The precise significance of that delay is very, very difficult to say. I can't say even if Mrs Barratt had immediate treatment whether that would have made a difference to the outcome."
A statement from Stafford and Rural Homes said: "We would like to express our sympathy with Mrs Barratt's family at this difficult time. Stafford and Rural Homes has assisted with the Coroner's inquiry to the fullest extent."
