Medical Law Experts Say Family Welcome Inquest And Hope For Answers About Their Loss
Expert medical lawyers acting on behalf of the family of a woman who died after being over-administered a blood thinning drug whilst staying at a Sussex nursing home have welcomed a pre-inquest review to begin investigations into her death.
Jean Halfpenny died in May 2010 aged 77, after being administered three times her regular dose of the blood thinning drug Warfarin over the course of 17 days at Orchid View Nursing Home in Copthorne, Sussex.
A pre-inquest review will be held on 30 July by Coroner Penelope A Schofield at County Hall North, Horsham from 2.30pm and medical law experts at Irwin Mitchell are representing Jean’s family. The full inquest, which is also investigating the deaths of 10 other residents at the home is expected to take place over three weeks, beginning on 10 September 2013.
Sussex police launched an investigation into alleged neglect at the care home, which is near Crawley, in 2011. It closed down when in October that year the Care Quality Commission (CQC) found it was failing to meet eight essential standards of quality and safety.
Members of staff from the home were arrested and later released without charge due to ‘insufficient evidence’.
Ian Christian, an expert medical lawyer at Irwin Mitchell’s London office representing Jean’s daughters, Linzi Collings and Louise Halfpenny said: “This has been a very difficult time for the family. They have understandably been devastated by their loss and the criminal investigation that took place after Jean’s death.
“They would like to take this opportunity to thank the Coroner for taking the time to investigate any potential failings at Orchid View that have led to their loss and hope it will lead to the many questions they have about Jean’s death being answered.
“We will continue to work with the family as they come to terms with this tragedy.”
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