A CORONER has praised staff at Holywell Community Hospital for the care it provided for a pensioner who died following a fall.

Dorothy Perry, 93, died at the hospital on March 17 after she suffered a fall which broke her hip at Richmond House care home in Rhyl on February 4.

An inquest held at County Hall, Ruthin, heard the retired school cook had “loads of things going on” in terms of her health problems including dementia and high blood pressure.

A post-mortem examination revealed she was also suffering from bronchial pneumonia, osteoporosis and cystitis. These were given by pathologist Dr Andrew Dalton as the chief causes of death with their effects increased by the fall.

Dr Dalton pointed out Ms Perry did not have any pressure sores which indicated she had received good care at the hospital.

The inquest heard how Ms Perry’s health had deteriorated three years ago and she had begun to get confused and suffer from hallucinations.

She received 24-hour care at Richmond House but would regularly wander around and suffer repeated falls.

On February 4 she had suffered a fall in the garden room at the care home, but Nicola Jones, assistant coroner for North Wales East and Central, said that was not due to any fault with her care.

“It seems to me that Richmond House has tight procedures,” she said.

A statement from Holywell Community Hospital praised her family for their “attentiveness” and that she showed “no signs of distress or pain” in the days before her death.

“She’s had good care,” said Ms Jones.

“She was at the end of her life which is why she was having so many falls with this latest fall leading to a chain of events.”

Ms Jones recorded a conclusion of accidental death.