Former Portsmouth FC player Dennis Edwards 'left to die' at QA Hospital, says family at inquest

Dennis Edwards died in hospital on September 13 last year at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham, after suffering a fall in his Denmead home a week before.

Between 1964 and 1968 he made 78 appearances upfront for Pompey, scoring 16 goals in that time.

Mr Edwards’ death was due to hypertension and ischemic heart disease, with acute kidney injury and a carcinoma (cancer) of the oesophagus, a coroner ruled.

But at the inquest into his death, his family spoke of how he wasn’t fed for four days while at hospital and had limited access to fluids.

While coroner Jason Pegg recorded a death by natural causes, he added that the lack of fluids will have contributed to his kidney problems.

At Portsmouth Coroner’s Court, Mr Edwards’ daughter Dawn Harding spoke of how her father was due to have an endoscopy – but this was postponed every day for four days.

Because patients cannot eat before an endoscopy, hospital staff didn’t feed him for four days, she said.

Mrs Harding said: ‘He was a very fit 82-year-old man – after the fall he walked to the ambulance on his own, but deteriorated every day while at the hospital.

‘He was given no food, had almost no fluids and no access to oxygen; it feels like he was just left to die.

‘They even refused to put him on antibiotics when I asked them too. I believe the lack of care contributed to him dying when he did.’

At the inquest, Mrs Harding and her family, who have an ongoing complaint with Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust, described Mr Edwards as a sociable and generous man with a lot of life experience.

Before joining Pompey, Mr Edwards had played for Charlton Athletic – and retired age 31 after leaving the Blues for Aldershot.

Coroner Jason Pegg said: ‘Mr Edwards seems to have done a great deal in his life.

‘When admitted to hospital, he did have a number of pre-existing conditions.

‘The fall didn’t contribute to the death, but lack of fluids and vomiting blood both contributed to the acute kidney injury.

‘But the appropriate conclusion is one of natural causes.’

Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust was contacted by The News for comment.