Bolton woman died weeks after injuring head on bus

Bolton Coroners Court heard Patricia McLellan was taken to hospital in June this year following a collapse. Her lip and tooth were left injured as a result.

And inquest heard she was discharged from hospital three days later and then returned for a check-up.

During this time Dr Rauf Munshi spoke with her about whether or not to go back on blood thinning medicine.

He said the balance of risk was between a rebleed and a stroke from problems in the blood.

The retired carer agreed to go back on the medication but switched from Warfarin to Apixaban, the court heard.

The following month she was readmitted to hospital with another bleed on the brain.

Her family were told at the inquest she was unlikely to make it through the night. But she eventually died a week later.

Dr Munshi was asked about the medication decision taken by Coroner Simon Nelson: "I have spoken to several colleagues about this. My condolences to the family.

“The risk of a rebleed is usually low. If Pauline had suffered a stroke that would have been the consequence of not recoagulating her.”

During the inquest family members, including her daughter Lisa and son Andrew McLellan, said the GP had refused to give cortisone injections for back pain and had ignored warning signs about blood pressure.

Giving evidence Dr Shaneela Ibrar, from the Stonehill GP Practice, said there have been seven contacts with her in the six months before her death.

She said in relation to cortisone injections Mrs McLellan had received a referral to the muscular skeletal service in 2018 and had agreed to have “conservative treatment.”

Delivering his conclusion, coroner Mr Nelson said the woman, who was from the Highfield area of Farnworth, died as a result of a “injury which was sustained as a result of an external fall or collapse.”

He added it was “accidental death in which appropriately prescribed anti coagulant was a contributory factory.”