9:59am Saturday 13th March 2010
By Peter Magill
DETECTIVES are investigating the death of a 60-year-old woman who was being cared for at a Nelson nursing home.
Staff at the Andrew Smith House, on Marsden Hall Road, alerted the county ambulance service around midnight on Thursday.
Police were later called in after the matter was reported to them by paramedics.
The female resident, whose name has not yet been released, was found dead in a wheelchair and initial indications were that she had been strapped into her chair.
Insp Phil Broughton said: “We are looking into the death of a 60-year-old woman who was found dead in a nursing home.
“For whatever reasons, she was strapped into the wheelchair, and was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
“It could well be natural causes, but we are keeping an open mind and will wait on the results of a post-mortem examination.”
Police later confirmed the death was being treated as unexplained but not suspicious.
An inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death is being led by Det Insp Derek Crorken, of the Pennine division public protection unit, based in Waterfoot.
The findings of that probe will be reported to the East Lancashire coroner, Richard Taylor, and the industry regulator, the Care Quality Commission.
The facility is run by Skelmersdale-based care home Stocks Hall Care Home and has 60 rooms, catering for both elderly patients with dementia and adults aged 18 to 65 with physical disabilities.
Gerrold Carr, the firm’s operations director, said: “This was a sudden death and when this happens we have systems which come into play.
“The matter is now in the hands of the coroner and we have informed everyone which we are required to in the circumstances.”
Mr Carr confirmed that the woman had been checked on before she was found dead.
Tom Daniels, head of personal social care for the eastern division at Lancashire County Council said: “In circumstances such as these we would not comment on individual cases due to issues of confidentiality.
“However, we are fully aware of the case and our thoughts are with the family and friends of the person concerned.
“It would be inappropriate to comment any further while investigations into the circumstances of the death are made clear.”
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