AN ELDERLY woman died in hospital after falling while trying to walk without the assistance of medical staff, an inquest heard last week.

Irene Robert Shaw had been admitted to the University Hospital of North Durham in January this year for a routine operation, but several days later the 85-year-old died of a brain haemorrhage after falling and fracturing her skull.

An inquest took place at County Hall in Durham, where North Durham Coroner Andrew Tweddle heard how the frail woman from Sacriston, had been unsteady on her feet.

On one occasion she slipped out of her chair on to the floor and on another she fell in a toilet cubicle as she tried to make her own way back to her bed.

It was said she ignored the instructions of a ward sister to call for assistance when she needed to get back, saying she did not want to bother them.

At 9.40pm on Sunday, January 13, she decided to walk by herself to the toilet, rather than asking for help.

Staff were only aware she had left her bed when they heard a shout in a corridor.

They ran to the scene and saw Mrs Robert Shaw lying on the floor, with blood coming out of her ears.

Dr Jason Urron then arrived at the scene. After carrying out a full assessment he decided to return her to her bed and take an x-ray of her skull the next morning. But about two hours later her condition deteriorated rapidly and she died.

Dr Urron told the inquest when he had assessed her, his main concern was the level of consciousness of the elderly woman. As she was alert he decided to wait until morning for an x-ray.

He said: "I had planned to do an x-ray of the skull the following morning, but even if I had found a skull fracture and no further deterioration to her conscious level, we would have done the same."

Mr Tweddle recorded a verdict of accidental death.

He concluded: "It was an accident pure and simple. She left her bed, stumbled and fell and caused injury to her head."