Coroner awaiting review over death of 88-year-old woman at Blackpool Victoria Hospital

A coroner is awaiting a review by Blackpool Victoria Hospital over the death of an 88-year-old woman there before making a final decision over whether an inquest will go ahead.

Bridget Wright died on February this year after undergoing an upper tract endoscopy at the hospital, which could not be completed because of what a CT scan showed to be pancreatic cancer, later confirmed to be stage three and inoperable.

A pre-inquest review at Blackpool Town Hall heard that a post mortem found that her cause of death was aspirational pneumonia, a complication of the precure, along with the pancreatic cancer.

Blackpool and Fylde senior coroner Alan Wilson said he had looked into the need for an inquest as he required clarification over what had caused Ms Wright’s death and her family had raised concerns over the timing of the procedure and consent to it, bearing in mind the possible complications.

He said he was of a mind to discontinue his investigation and write to the hospital’s medical director pointing out the family’s points over the death.

But when Lyn Ajanaku, representing the hospital at the pre-inquest review, pointed out that a hospital review of the circumstances of Ms Wright’s death was under way, Mr Wilson said he would await that before making a final decision.