A CORONER says he does not hold an Aberystwyth hospital in high regard after an inquest revealed a Dolgellau woman died as a result of a fall in their care.

Jean Evans, who was suffering with severe dementia, died at Dolgellau Hospital on 1 March 2015.

An inquest in Caernarfon heard how the 84-year-old had been in and out of Bronglais Hospital in Aberystwyth after suffering several falls at home and suffering a small stroke.

Mrs Evans’ daughter, Ann Tyrrell, said her mother had suffered two falls whilst at Bronglais Hospital towards the end of January 2015.

She said: “My mother was at Bronglais Hospital towards the end of January as her health was deteriorating and we were waiting on results as we believed she may have had a small stroke.

“Whilst at the hospital we were made aware she had fallen off her chair which left her with two big purple lumps on her head.

“We weren’t told about this fall until the afternoon of the following day which I wasn’t happy about.

“She fell off her bed again whilst at the hospital during the same period and when I asked how it happened the nurse said to me that my mother had been on the side of the bed and when she’d gone to get her notes my mother just ‘face-planted’ off the bed.”

Pathologist Dr Mark Lord told the inquest that Mrs Evans had died from a blow to the head and that it was likely that one of the falls Mrs Evans had in the hospital caused a bleed on her brain.

Dr Lord said the cause of death was Bronchopneumonia which had been caused due to the fall.

North west Wales senior coroner, Dewi Pritchard Jones said: “It is clear from what I’ve heard that Mrs Evans had suffered with lots of falls and suffered with serious dementia.

“During her stay at Bronglais Hospital she suffered two falls, where she was left with massive bruising to the face and suffered trauma. She later left Bronglais Hospital and a month later finished up at Dolgellau Hospital where she died.

“One of those falls led to the bleed on her brain, which then led to her becoming immobile and fluid eventually built up in the lungs which led to pneumonia.

“However, if she hadn’t suffered a bleed to the brain from the fall then it wouldn’t have developed into pneumonia.”

Mr Prichard Jones recorded a verdict of accidental death for Mrs Evans.

He said: “I believe the fall at hospital in Aberystwyth led to Mrs Evans death.

“I’m not meant to express a personal opinion in my inquests, but I do not have a high regard for the hospital in Aberystwyth.”