Two men died after falls at overstretched A&E

"Ward was taken to St George's with frailty, confusion and likely infection on 7 February 2024. He was not risk assessed by nurses and received no significant nursing care after his daughter left in the early hours of 8 February. He was later found kneeling by his bedside, having suffered a head injury, and died on 10 February. The inquest found he should have received enhanced care due to his risk, which would have prevented the fall and his death."

"He was cared for in the corridor for several hours before being transferred to a bed in the early evening, as A&E was so busy. Ghosh was not risk assessed by nurses until almost midnight. Staff sought medical advice after he became more delirious in the early hours of 10 February, but his nursing risk was not reassessed. He injured his head after an unwitnessed fall at around 08:30 GMT and died the next day."

Two older men, David Ward, 76, and Dr Debapriya Ghosh, 83, died after unwitnessed falls at St George's Hospital, Tooting, on 10 and 11 February 2024. Both patients arrived with delirium, frailty, infections and other health issues. Nurses did not carry out timely risk assessments and both received inadequate or no significant nursing supervision. One patient was left without enhanced care after his daughter left; the other was cared for in a corridor and had delayed reassessment. The Senior Coroner cited staffing and resource shortages, and the hospital trust reported condolences and said immediate changes were implemented.

Read at www.bbc.com