Death of nursing home resident ‘was preventable’, inquest finds

The coroner found that if the wheelchair had been tied down and “occupant restraint systems” been “correctly and effectively” fitted by the staff on the bus before travelling and if a “primary survey and whole body CT scan” had been performed at the hospital and if Ms McCann had been “reviewed by the senior clinicians” that “on balance” Ms McCann’s death “would have been prevented.”

The coroner added, “the deceased’s death highlights the risk that occult injuries in complex trauma cases can occur”.

“Therefore there is a need for clinicians to have a high index of suspicion and to exclude such injuries at an early stage, particularly in an elderly or vulnerable patient where the effect of these injuries may be more deleterious due to existing comorbidities.”

BBC News NI has approached The Belfast Trust for comment.

Somerton homes told BBC News NI it had no comment to make.