Hospital fined for patient fall

Manchester's Wythenshawe Hospital has been fined £18,000 after a patient fell off a balcony and died the following day.

The prosecution was brought by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following the tragedy in July last year in which David Rigby from East Didsbury died.

The inquest into his death returned an open verdict but Manchester Magistrates' Court heard the coroner said the fall must have contributed in some way to his death.

Despite three safety inspections the hospital, part of South Manchester University Hospitals Trust, did not do anything to make the balconies safe.

Accused over risk

Mr Rigby was seriously ill when he was admitted to Wythenshawe in July last year.

At about 0100 BST he went out onto the balcony of Ward F and fell three metres to the ground.

He was taken to the casualty department but died shortly afterwards.

The HSE accused South Manchester University Hospitals NHS Trust of failing to assess the risk posed by the balconies and of maintaining insufficient safety standards.

The trust pleaded guilty and apologised to the Rigby family and said the balconies are no longer dangerous.