Walsall man who died after fall was not given scan
An elderly man who died from a bleed on the brain after a fall at a care home was not given a CT scan when he went into hospital two months earlier, an inquest heard.
John Cornes did not meet the criteria for a scan at Walsall Manor Hospital as his injury was not thought to be to serious enough.
But his condition deteriorated in the weeks that followed until he was taken back to hospital and the bleed was discovered.
Doctors decided dementia sufferer Mr Cornes, aged 79, was not suitable for surgery and he died on May 16.
Family members questioned why the former hairdresser did not undergo a scan straight away after he fell and hit his head at the Watermill care home in Goscote Lane, Pelsall, Walsall on March 19.
However, at the inquest in Oldbury, Dr Ruchi Joshi, head of A&E at Walsall Manor, explained national guidelines state patients only need to be sent for a scan if they lose consciousness or are suffering with severe headaches and persistent vomiting.
Mr Cornes was sick just once after being discharged from hospital, the hearing was told.
Paramedics stated he had been 'semi-conscious' after the fall.
Care home staff said Mr Cornes was 'not right' after the fall and contacted doctors on several occasions but were told to monitor him until he was eventually taken back to hospital in May.
Black Country Coroner Zafar Siddique also questioned why care home workers concerned about Mr Cornes' condition were told to call the NHS 111 helpline when they spoke to A&E hours after he was discharged.
Questioning Dr Joshi, he said: "This does concern me. Someone has been admitted with a head injury, care home staff are concerned about blood vomiting and they go through non-qualified staff who advise them to ring 111. Why?"
Dr Joshi insisted the discharge was appropriate and that a follow-up call was made to the care home the next day to check on Mr Cornes' condition.
Mr Siddique decided the hospital was not guilty of neglect as it had followed guidelines when not sending Mr Cornes for a scan. He reached a conclusion of accidental death.
He said: "There was only one episode of vomiting and no clear evidence of loss of consciousness.
"It is not clear even if a CT scan was done he would have survived."
Following the hearing, Mr Cornes' sister-in-law Colleen Cornes said: "They went by the guidelines but that doesn't make it right."
