Portsmouth nursing home 'did not report' pensioner's pressure sore to district nurses

A PRESSURE sore that left a Portsmouth dementia patient 'screaming in pain' wasn't flagged up with district nurses until it had already deteriorated, an inquest has heard today.
Pamela RatseyPamela Ratsey
Pamela Ratsey

Today is the final day of an inquest into the death of Pamela Ratsey, 81, who developed a grade three sore while at Haven Care Home in Drayton.

Notes from the care home record signs of a sore in June 2017 - but NHS nurses were reporterly not notified until August.

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A grade three pressure sore has full thickness skin loss including damage to tissue. 

Giving evidence, Adrian Walker, clinical manager at Solent NHS Trust, said district nurses were not notified soon enough about the sore. 

He said: 'We were not informed.

'[We should have been called] as soon as that was identified.'

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Relative tells inquest that pensioner deteriorated quickly in care home 

Representing Ms Ratsey's family, barrister Mark Aldred added that there was 'no question' that she was a high-risk patient. 

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The court also heard that the care home did not have the correct equipment for Ms Ratsey – a hoist that would help with movement was broken, and there was not the right bedding.

Mr Walker said: 'The carers were manually moving Ms Ratsey, not necessarily by approved techniques.

'You normally order an air flow mattress and profile bed together - that would have helped with turning her.' 

The clinical manager added that the bedding was not as important as regular turning - though the evidence given at the inquest so far suggests that was not done by the care home, with gaps in paperwork of up to 15 hours.

The inquest is due to conclude this afternoon.

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