Hackney pensioner who froze to death after falling over at home may have survived if carers fixed her wrist alarm

An elderly woman who froze to death after falling over at home may have survived if her wrist alarm was working, a coroner has concluded. Anoush Summers, 77, fell some time after 4.45pm on January 11, then lay alone for up to 16 hours before she was found by her carer at around 9am on January 12. She died of hypothermia at Homerton University Hospital, Hackney, on January 14.

Ms Summers - who was described as 'frail' and 'prone to falls' - lived alone at home, with carers visiting twice daily. An inquest into her death, held at Poplar Coroners' Court this June, heard she had a wrist alarm which was reported broken on January 6, some five days before the fall, but was never repaired or replaced by those looking after her.

In a Prevention of Future Deaths Report to the Director of Supreme Care Services Limited, Rebecca Efeotor, and the CEO of Hackney Council, Dawn Carter-McDonald, coroner Edwin Buckett said the absence of the working wrist alarm prevented Ms Summers from being found sooner, and 'probably contributed to her death'.

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The court heard evidence the alarm was left unfixed by Supreme Care Services, a social care provider outsourced by Hackney Council, and that Ms Summers was unable to call for help because it did not work.

None of the carers who visited Ms Summers, after the alarm was reported broken, did anything to report the issue to Hackney Council. On Friday (June 21) a spokesperson for Hackney Council told MyLondon they were 'concerned' it had never been reported.

The last carer who attended did not know the alarm had failed, because they did not read the care notes. Mr Buckett found no clear instruction was given to carers about the extent to which they should read care notes, and it emerged none of the carers had any training, instruction, or guidance on testing wrist alarms to see if they worked.

"There was no clear system identified between the company providing carers and the local authority, as to the duties and responsibilities of each in the reporting of faults with wrist alarms," added Mr Buckett.

The coroner warned there could be similar deaths if Supreme Care Services and Hackney Council fail to take action on the system in place to report faulty wrist alarms.

"I am concerned that there is a risk of future deaths arising in circumstances when vulnerable people, who live at home and are reliant of wrist alarms which have been reported as not working, but have not yet been repaired, may unable to summon help," he said.

Both organisations have until August 2 outlining what they plan to do in response to Mr Buckett's concerns.

Hackney Council 'taking urgent steps'

Helen Woodland, group director for adults, health and integration, at Hackney Council, said: “We were heartbroken to learn of the death of Anoush Summers and the circumstances under which she passed away. We immediately took steps to understand these circumstances and were concerned to hear that a wrist alarm was broken at the time and had not been reported to us.

“We have taken urgent steps with care providers to review how technology in people’s homes is tested, and how faults are reported and repairs managed.

“Our standard agreement with all our care providers is that they test equipment and report faults to the Council. However, we are now strengthening these agreements by explicitly setting out that the Council should be notified of faults in instances where someone may need additional support or care while equipment is being repaired.”

Supreme Care Services did not respond to our request for comment at the time of publication.

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