An angry family fighting to learn how a Runwell Hospital patient died are considering legal action.

A Chelmsford inquest concluded that Mrs Dorothy Allen, 89, died from natural causes.

However, the jury was directed to the verdict by coroner, Mrs Caroline Beasley-Murray at the end of a day-long hearing.

Mrs Allen's son-in-law, Tom Stott, 50, of Rowan Walk, Eastwood, said afterwards: "I'm very disappointed. Why bother with a jury if they are not going to be allowed to choose a verdict?"

The family is now thinking of pursuing a civil claim. They were represented by Mrs Judith Sheldon who said afterwards: "The family had hoped that the jury would be given the option of an open verdict, given the fact that Mrs Allen died within 28 days of sustaining a fracture in circumstances which have never been fully explained."

But consultant pathologist, Dr Janet Leake said there was no pathological link between the fracture of Mrs Allen's leg and her death. She said: "The cause of death was senile myocardial degeneration - which is closest in pathological parlance to dying of old age."

Mrs Allen was a residential patient in Runwell Hospital where she had suffered several other falls. On November 14 last year Mrs Allen was found kneeling on the floor. She showed no sign of injury.

That night staff nurse Selvanaighee Pundither was called from another ward when it was noticed Mrs Allen's knee was swollen. She rang the on-call doctor who did not attend, but prescribed paracetamol.

Nurse Pundither said: "More and more frequently I was being asked to hold the keys for wards where there were no qualified nurses on duty. I have expressed concern that the requirements are not being met."

She died in Southend Hospital days later after being treated for her problems.

Dorothy Allen

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