Sent home hours before his death

A coroner has praised a GP for his actions after a 90-year-old man died in a care home after being discharged from hospital.
Petro Danyluk, who was known as Peter to his friendsPetro Danyluk, who was known as Peter to his friends
Petro Danyluk, who was known as Peter to his friends

Dementia sufferer Petro Danyluk, 90, passed away at the Clumber Court care home in Retford after being sent home from Bassetlaw Hospital.

An inquest in Lincoln heard Mr Danyluk, from Misterton, died from broncho pneumonia after being sent home on a Friday afternoon. He was discharged from hospital despite suffering a lack of mobility due to an operation on his broken left hip.

Dr Joel Chapman from the Bridgegate Surgery in Retford said after Mr Danyluk’s death he notified the coroner’s officer because of his concerns over a lack of ‘end of life plan’.

“In essence you have a very elderly man discharged from hospital who is effectively dying,” said Dr Chapman.

Known to his friends as Peter, Mr Danyluk had lived with the same British family for 53 years after being displaced from his native Ukraine during the Second World War. He was placed in care during 2011 after his dementia needs became to difficult for the couple in their 90s to cope with.

Mr Danyluk was admitted to Bassetlaw Hospital on 18th October with symptoms of pneumonia after suffering a fall three days earlier.

The inquest heard Clumber Court failed to inform a doctor who treated Mr Danyluk on 16th October that he had suffered a fall. His guardians were also not told.

Mr Danyluk had been moved to the home from the Foxby Hill care home in Gainsborough where he had suffered a previous fall.

An operation to repair a fracture to the neck of his left femur was done at Bassetlaw Hospital on 21st October but despite suffering a lack of mobility from the surgery Mr Danyluk was discharged at the beginning of November.

Dr Chapman attended Clumber Court and prescribed Mr Danyluk diamorphine, but he died at around 9pm on 2nd November.

A post mortem found Mr Danyluk had died from broncho-pneumonia. He had also suffered a previous heart attack and a lack of mobility caused by the recent surgery on his left femur which contributed to his death.

Recording a narrative verdict coroner Stuart Fisher said Dr Chapman deserved great credit for his help in treating Mr Danyluk.

He said the fracture to Mr Danyluk’s hip occurred at Clumber Court and said it was a ‘serious omission’ that a doctor who examined him was not told of his fall.

He also found there was no evidence that Mr Danyluk had suffered any form of abuse or ill treatment at Foxby Hill.

Speaking after the inquest Mr Danyluk’s guardians said he should never have been discharged from hospital.