Woman, 70, dies just weeks after she was ‘DROPPED’ on the floor of theatre after hip operation leaving her with ‘great big bump on head’
- Jeannette Shields, 70, ‘bumped her head’ when she fell from the operating table
- Husband John said she was at Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle due to gallstones
- He said she got out of bed to go to the toilet on her own after ringing her buzzer
- Mr Shields said she later fell and broken her hip, with her surgery two days later
A 70-year-old woman has died just weeks after being ‘dropped’ on the floor in hospital after having hip surgery.
Jeannette Shields ‘bumped her head’ when she fell from the operating table at Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle.
Her widower John said she was originally taken into hospital to be treated for gallstones.
But he said she got out of bed to go to the toilet on her own despite ringing her buzzer for assistance. He said she later fell and broke her hip.
Mrs Shields was put in surgery two days later but Mr Shields received a phone call to say there had been an incident.
The doctor said the hip operation was a success but ‘unfortunately they dropped her off the operating [table] after the surgery’.
Jeannette Shields ‘(pictured) bumped her head’ when she fell from the operating table at Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle
Mr Shields, 78, told the BBC: ‘Then they had to use the sliding board to pick her up and rush her in and do scans on her.
‘She had a great big bump on the back of her head and she just deteriorated and then she just passed away, just died. I’m shocked, I’m really shocked.’
North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Trust said it had launched an investigation into what happened to Mrs Shields.
Mr Shields said he had told them he will not be ‘pushing this thing under the carpet’ and said his treatment had been ‘disgusting’.
The couple’s daughter Vikki said the family told staff about the bump on her head, saying: ‘You’ve never seen a bump like it.’
Mrs Shields died on May 21 – six weeks after the incident – and Mr Shields demanded a post-mortem after hearing there was not one planned.
Her widower John (pictured) said she was originally taken into hospital to be treated for gallstones
A spokesman for the NHS trust said it was ‘unable to comment on ongoing investigations’.
They said ‘the findings will be shared with the family and with our regulators in line with normal procedure’.
They added: ‘The outcome of the investigation will also determine any further action that we will need to take.’