Nursing home criticised

Maureen Cartwright, who was said to be taking a "variety" of different medication, died at Fernbank Nursing Home, in Cross Hills, on December 8 2005.

A senior carer at the Park Road home, Christina Greenwood, admitted that record keeping was inadequate. She also said that when the-then owners of the home, Mr and Mrs Brian Richmond, were on holiday, they could not be contacted and "nobody was really in charge" in their absence.

When questioned by coroner Geoff Fell, Mrs Greenwood claimed Mr and Mrs Richmond had no qualifications in care or medical knowledge.

Mrs Greenwood said Mrs Cartwright had several health problems, both psychological and physical. She said she deteriorated before her death and became harder to manage shortly beforehand.

She said: "It did affect the care because we couldn't understand what was wrong with her."

Mrs Cartwright was on repeat prescriptions of several types of medication, including Prozac, which were ordered on repeat prescription. But a statement from witness Christine Taylor expressed concern over drug administration record keeping at the home, which was said to be done on a Boots medical chart.

Mrs Taylor had been contacted by a district nurse who was concerned at staffing provisions at the home. She made an unannounced visit and although she found staffing levels to be acceptable, she expressed several concerns, including record keeping, and said Mr and Mrs Richmond had failed to adhere to standards and regulations.

Mrs Greenwood said: "Some people (carers) didn't sign, but you could always tell if they (residents) had had their tablets."

Mrs Greenwood also claimed risk assessments were not done properly and said she had previously expressed concern to Mrs Richmond about patient's suitability for the home. She said: "She'd say we could cope with them and nine times out of 10 we couldn't cope with them."

The coroner's verdict will be posted later