Alice Joyce Smith, 91, died at Furness General Hospital - inquest

Alice Joyce Smith, 91, died at Furness General Hospital 11 days after being admitted following an ischemic stroke. 

Mrs Smith, of Lytham St Annes, fell on an escalator while shopping in Blackpool and was taken by paramedics to Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

A statement submitted to Cockermouth Coroner’s Court by a paramedic said Mrs Smith was still on the floor but ’in good spirits’ when they arrived at the supermarket.

She was taken immediately to hospital where a CT scan showed she had suffered a subdural haematoma and subarachnoid haemorrhage (types of bleeding on the brain). 

Mrs Smith was discharged from hospital in Blackpool two days later but was found on the floor with left sided weakness and a facial droop on February 1 and taken to Furness General Hospital. 

She was placed under the care of the stroke team in Barrow and a further CT scan on February 3 showed no extension of her recent bleed, but Mrs Smith’s condition continued to deteriorate. 

On February 8, the decision was taken between medical professionals and Mrs Smith’s family to treat her palliatively and keep her comfortable. 

She died on February 12. 

A statement submitted to the court by Mrs Smith’s daughter told how she was ‘born in traditional times’, starting work at Booths supermarket at age 13, marrying John David Smith at 22 years of age. 

She became a widow when her husband died in 2009 and had lived in the same family home for 64 years until her death. 

Mrs Smith was on medication for hypertension and atrial fibrillation and had had two previous ischemic attacks, in 1993 and 2021, though had no history of frequent falls. 

Assistant coroner for Cumbria Ms Margaret Taylor said: “Ischemic stroke is a recognised complication following the development of a subdural haematoma and a subarachnoid haemorrhage.” 

Ms Taylor concluded that Mrs Smith’s death was caused by a fall and would be classed as accidental.