A PENSIONER died after falling and banging his head while in hospital care, an inquest heard.

Charley Stringer died from a brain haemorrhage after suffering a blow to his right temple, Bolton Coroner’s Court was told.

The 82-year-old was admitted to hospital on October 27, 2012, following a fall at his home in Purcell Close, Brownlow Fold.

During his treatment on the C4 ward at the Royal Bolton Hospital, staff recorded two falls, but Mr Stringer’s family said they believed he could have fallen a third time.

Mr Stringer fell on the ward floor on the night of November 2, but it had not been witnessed by hospital staff.

On November 13, Mr Stringer had another fall at about 4.35am when getting out of bed.

He was examined by doctors but showed no sign of external injury and was put under neurological observations.

Consultant physician Dr Mayen Egbe said: “At 15.07 when Mr Stringer was visited by a doctor, it was recorded that it was clear there was a bruise to the right temple.”

Later that evening, Mr Stringer became unconscious.

The next day, he was still unconscious and was being given intravenous antibiotics.

He died in the early hours of the morning on November 15.

Claire Walsh, Mr Stringer’s niece, said she had raised concerns about the number of times her uncle had fallen in the hospital.

Mrs Walsh said: “The nurse in charge on November 14 said there was no way he had had a third fall and was just interested in sorting her notes out.

“She said he had been under observation so much and even asked a patient on the bed opposite whether he had seen anything. I thought it was very insensitive that the nurse seemed more concerned about her notes than speaking to the family.”

During the inquest ward matron Felicia Onwudike apologised to Mrs Walsh for the nurse’s behaviour.

Assistant deputy coroner Alison Mutch went through all of Mr Stringer’s notes with the matron to determine whether there had been a third fall.

In a narrative verdict, Mrs Mutch gave the cause of death as a brain haemorrhage caused by the fall on November 13 and sclerosis of the liver.