Mum, 69, died after fall

An inquest had previously heard the family of Doreen Wootton claim she had been moved from an alarm buzzer because staff felt she was a 'nuisance'.

But staff on the mental health ward at Queens Park Hospital, Blackburn, said the position of her bed had been dictated by the proximity of a plug for the air mattress she was on. Mrs Wootton's daughter, Lorraine Clarke, said after the inquest that it had never been the family's intention to seek to blame anyone for her mother's death.

"We simply wanted the truth to come out and we don't feel that has happened," she said. "My mother was not on an air mattress and her bed could have been next to the buzzer.

"She fell and broke her hip."

The inquest heard that Mrs Wootton, of Cherry Street, Blackburn, was on Ward L3. Nursing assistant Gail Dwyer said she hard a bang from Mrs Wootton's room and found her on the floor.

She said Mrs Wootton had always shouted for help when she needed it but on this occasion had not.

Coroner Michael Singleton read from ward records which referred to Mrs Wootton's frequent use of the buzzer and how she needed to be more independent.

Staff nurse Rachael Gildea said Mrs Wootton was not a person who would normally try and move about on her own.

Coroner Michael Singleton said: "The buzzer was not an issue because when she needed assistance she called out."

Medical cause of death was bronchopneumonia as a result of immobility and the coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death.