Care home resident left ‘dangling’ from hoist after sling slips from hook, inquest hears

A resident at a care home in Shrewsbury died two days after an incident that left her ‘dangling’ from a hoist after the sling being used to transfer her slipped from its hooks, a jury has been told.

The 81-year-old woman was being transferred to her bed with a hoist at Maesbrook Care Home when she fell and sustained injuries including a hip fracture.

One of the home’s nurses, Pam Walker told the inquest that she does not know why the incident happened and that she has not slept properly since, a local newspaper present at the hearing reported.

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She had been asked to oversee the hoist transfer by two carers because they had problems moving the hoist two days previously.

According to the Shropshire Star, nurse Walker said: “[One of the carers] and I did the hoist so I could see if there was a problem. I checked the sling and quickly assessed the room.

“I put the loops of the sling onto the hooks on the hoist then I went to the rear of her chair and took her up about three feet. She was well balanced.

“Next thing I heard [the resident] call out. It was like a howl. It was awful as if she was in pain so I stopped immediately. I noticed that her left leg had come out and she was not in the same position.

“It happened so quickly. I didn’t have time to do anything and the sling just slipped off the hook. She was left in a dangling position. I have never seen anything like that happen in my 45 years of nursing.”

The medical cause of death of the resident was given as pulmonary heart disease and chronic hyperventilation syndrome. The hip fracture sustained by the resident was given as a secondary factor. The inquest is ongoing.