Shropshire hospital trust fine: Family hope case will stop future tragedies
The family of an elderly patient who died after a fall while in the care of Shrewsbury & Telford Hospitals NHS Trust say they hope the trust's fine will prevent a repeat of the tragedy.
The hospital trust was fined £333,333 and ordered to pay £130,000 costs after Health and Safety Investigation Executive prosecutions relating to the deaths of five patients.
Stafford Crown Court heard the patients, aged between 72 and 92, sustained fatal injuries as result of falling while being cared for in hospitals run by the trust.
Four died as result of falling at the Princess Royal Hospital, Telford. The fifth succumbed to injuries at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.
The deaths took place between June 2011 and November 2012.
Lucy Anderson Edwards, a great niece of Edna Evans, one of the patients who died, said the family would now be able to move on from the "horrifying past events and undignified circumstances" of her death.
She said: "Edna was a wonderful sister, aunt and finally a great aunt to myself, sitting proudly as the eldest at the head of the family.
"It's been a difficult five years without such a special lady who I regarded as another grandparent having lost her own child many years ago, and even more difficult with all the speculation surrounding her death.
“I am just thankful that after today's events myself and the rest of her remaining family can finally have some closure and move on from the somewhat horrifying past events and undignified circumstances in which Edna passed away.
“Nothing will ever rectify, and nothing will ever justify the tragic events that led to Auntie Edna's death, but today I am grateful for the Shrewsbury and Telford Trust’s open admittance to fault and I can only hope that bringing my Aunt’s case to light will go a long way in preventing such catastrophic future errors.
“My thoughts are with fellow families and friends of other loved ones who also fell victim to a failure of care from the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals Trust.
"I hope they too can find some comfort in the final closure of these investigations."
