A 75-YEAR-OLD grandad tragically choked to death on chicken nuggets at a care home, an inquest heard.
Bob Buckley suffered from dementia and was a known choke risk during his stay at The Chase in Canterbury, Kent.
Dementia sufferer Bob Buckley choked to death on chicken nuggets
The grandad required specialist care with meals.
On August 19, 2019, when Mr Buckley was found to be choking, staff tried dislodging food from his throat, repeatedly slapped his back and deployed a “thrusting” technique to help save him.
But after staff “neglected” their duties, he was seen turning “blue in the face” before suffocating, the coroners’ court was told.
Despite two ambulance crews arriving in minutes, Mr Buckley’s heart stopped and, due to a do-not-resuscitate order, paramedics did not attempt to revive him.
Shortly after his death, Chase told the retired factory foreman’s family – and healthcare watchdog Care Quality Commission – that Mr Buckley had choked on cake.
But medics later discovered he had eaten whole chicken nuggets and half a baby carrot.
The hearing today at Oakwood House in Maidstone was told how Mr Buckley was known to ‘pouch’ his food – holding items in his mouth for long periods – and prone to eating quickly, a risk flagged by his wife.
Coroner Ian Brownhill said: “The food was not cut into small pieces, and paramedics were surprised at the size of the food removed from Bob’s airway.”
The court was told a staff member referred to only as ‘Carer 1’ physically handed Mr Buckley the fatal plate of food.
Mr Brownhill continued: “Carer 1 handed Bob the plate of food at tea time. She also plated the food, which he ate.
“She previously said the plates were pre-prepared, but this does not accord with what she told police after his death.”
Mr Brownhill recorded a narrative conclusion of neglect, adding: “Bob had been identified as a risk of choking despite the fact that those caring for Bob did not properly mitigate this risk.
“They did not cut up his food or monitor him closely enough.
“This led to his death.”
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