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Royal Free roof death
Elderly patient found dead after vanishing for hours
An elderly patient who vanished from a Royal Free hospital ward was found dead on the hospital’s roof, the New Journal can reveal.
It is suspected the patient may have frozen to death.
Hospital chiefs ordered a news black out on the death, which was discovered three weeks ago, but confirmed it to the New Journal last night (Wednesday) after concerned insiders blew the whistle. An investigation has been launched.
Staff at the Hampstead hospital launched an immediate search for the man after he went missing from the seventh-floor Hopgood ward but failed to find him.
Police were brought in and the man, in his late 70s, was later found outside an operating theatre on the third-floor roof, “frozen to death”, according to one source.
It is not known for how long he was missing or the exact cause of death as nobody at the hospital was available to answer the New Journal’s questions last night.
Hospital site manager Scott Fenwick said last night there would be a review of policies regarding missing patients but added: “We have a full and robust patient finding procedure.”
The news has renewed calls for the installation of a swipe card system, similar to that used on paediatric and maternity wards to protect vulnerable patients from leaving and to stop intruders from entering.
One hospital insider said: “It seems he went through the fire exit on the seventh floor. This is due to the lack of staff. Elderly patients need one-to-one care.
“Staff have been asking for a system for the elderly patients because anything can happen. It’s been asked for at staff ward meetings but no-one listens until something happens.”
The source claims the hospital is now speeding up a more secure fire escape system and has introduced further staff training.
Another, who claimed he was not surprised it happened, said: “Normally in a ward, patients are allowed to leave, you can’t force them to stay. There’s very little security at the Royal Free. It’s a very relaxed atmosphere.”
He added: “This is not the first time. About six or seven months ago a man in the psychiatric ward went out and they eventually found him, he had hanged himself.”
The news has raised questions over security for elderly patients.
PPI chairman Arthur Brill, who had inspected the ward only hours earlier, said: “It’s a very worrying scenario which should not have been allowed to happen. We continuously suggest that there’s a lock-down at some point in the evening. In general, the thought of patients being able to walk out and not be seen is unacceptable. I would think a swipe card system is an excellent idea for elderly patients.”
He said the situation would be discussed at a forum meeting today.
In a statement released last night, a Royal Free Hospital spokeswoman said: “An elderly patient went missing from a ward overnight. The police were informed and a search was undertaken of the hospital and grounds.
“When this failed to find him, a more detailed search was undertaken, according to procedures. The body of the patient was then found on a roof outside the operating department. The trust staff would like to extend their deepest sympathies to the patients family. Investigations by the police and the trust are underway.” |
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