Concerns over hospital staffing

Hospital staff were praised for their dedication and humility

Concerns have been raised about staff shortages and training at North Devon Hospital over the death of a woman who suffered massive internal bleeding.

Jennifer Pink, 69 from Barnstaple in Devon, died in the hospital in 2006 after being given an overdose of anti-coagulant drugs in a mix up.

Greater Devon coroner Dr Elizabeth Earl recorded a verdict of death by natural causes at the inquest on Friday.

She said she would raise her concerns with Northern Devon Health Authority.

Dedicated staff

The coroner said: "The evidence showed the staff operated under conditions of staff shortages, lack of training and supervision."

She said she would be writing to the Nursing and Midwifery Council and the chief executive of the Northern Devon Healthcare Trust "in appropriate terms".

She added: "I have been impressed with the dedication and humility of almost all of the staff."

The inquest had been told that Mrs Pink was put on a drip with the powerful anti-clotting drug Heparin without doctors realising she was already receiving a similar treatment of Clexane.

The combination of the two treatments led to an overdose of the anti-coagulants.

But Dr Earland concluded that her death was not due to the course of anti-coagulants.

The inquest heard that Mrs Pink also suffered from heart disease and angina and was in poor health.

Mrs Pink had been in the hospital for nine days when she suffered a haemorrhage inside her abdomen just hours before she died.