Hospital trust apologies after veteran, 98, dies following several falls

A Derby hospital trust has apologised for its failings over the care of a98-year-old Second World War veteran who died following a series of falls.

Arthur Attenborough, a former police officer who survived being shot by theNazis, died in a nursing home on October 10 last year, weeks after breaking his hip while in hospital.

An inquest heard he was first admitted to the Royal Derby Hospital afterfracturing his left leg in a fall at home in July 2014.

After surgery to repair the damage he was transferred for physiotherapy andrehabilitation.

But widower Mr Attenborough then broke his right hip in a fall while under the care of nurses at Derby's London Road Community Hospital.

Derby Coroner Dr Robert Hunter recorded Mr Attenborough's death "wasaccelerated" by eight falls he suffered while in the care of the Derby Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs both hospitals.

The ex-serviceman's cause of death was given as pneumonia caused by the stresses of Mr Attenborough breaking both his legs over a short period.

Recording a narrative verdict, Dr Hunter said:

Speaking after Thursday's inquest, Mr Attenborough's son said the family were now taking legal advice over their father's sub-standard care.

On another occasion Mr Attenborough fell the night before he was due tounder-go surgery for his second broken hip.

The former motorcycle police officer also suffered from a bout of super-bugMRSA during his stay but was successfully treated, according to the hospitals trust.

Mr Attenborough's son, from Burton on Trent, said he was "extremelydisappointed" with what he had heard in evidence during the inquest about his father's care between July and September last year.

"When this was going on, we knew things weren't right and we tried to put that right at the time by speaking to the nurses but nothing was done."

In a statement Derby Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: