Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust pleads guilty in HSE hearing over diabetic patient death
The trust that runs Stafford Hospital this afternoon admitted breaching health and safety law over the death of a diabetic inpatient who was not given insulin.
The Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust pleaded guilty to failing to ensure the safety of Gillian Astbury, who lapsed into a fatal diabetic coma while being treated at Stafford Hospital in April 2007.
The Trust pleaded guilty through its barrister at Stafford Magistrates Court today to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act by failing to properly manage and organise hospital services, including its systems for record-keeping, patient information and communication between staff members. Mrs Astbury, 66, died on April 11, 2007 after she was not given insulin while an in-patient at the hospital. The HSE said today there were 'widespread and seismic failings' at the hospital.
However they said last month they will pursue no further action against nurses who were found guilty of misconduct over Ms Astbury's treatment by the Nursing and Midwifery Council. It follows an investigation launched earlier this year by the HSE into Ms Astbury's death following the conclusion of the Francis Inquiry into events at Stafford Hospital between 2005 and 2009.
The trust could be fined a maximum of £20,000 for the failings. The case was this afternoon adjourned for the trust be sentenced at a later date.
An inquest on Ms Astbury recorded a narrative verdict but found a failure to administer insulin amounted to a gross failure to provide basic care.
Peter Galsworthy, HSE head of operations in the West Midlands, said: "Our case alleges that the trust failed to devise, implement or properly manage structured and effective systems of communication for sharing patient information."
Ms Astbury, from Hednesford, died on April 11, 2007 of diabetic ketoacidosis when she was an inpatient at the hospital. She was denied insulin for 48 hours and fell into a coma.
