A Newton Abbot widow is taking legal advice after an inquest heard that medics at Torbay Hospital failed to diagnose the problem which resulted in her husband's death just hours after his discharge.

In Torquay last Thursday, coroner Ian Arrow recorded a narrative verdict in the case of Richard Barkwell, who died after hitting his head in a fall outside his Higher Budleigh Meadow home in December.

The cause of death was a subdural haemotoma, a build-up of blood between his skull and brain.

The court heard that Mr Barkwell, a 71-year-old retired MoT inspector and originally from Chagford, was an alcoholic and had a history of heart disease. He was being treated with Warfarin, a drug which thins the blood.

In the afternoon of December 16 he fell at home and hit his head on concrete.

In evidence read to the court, neighbour Katherine Evans said she heard 'a very loud crack' and turned to see Mr Barkwell lying unconscious with blood coming from his head.

By the time paramedics arrived he had come round and was telling people he was 'all right'.

After confirming he had been drinking and was taking Warfarin, he was transferred to the accident and emergency department at Torbay Hospital with his medication.

There he was seen by a junior medic, Dr Forbes who, having spent 40 minutes with him, stitched the one inch cut and confirmed he was fit to be discharged.

After an uneventful evening at home Mr Barkwell was found dead in bed the following morning by his wife.

Notes taken at the hospital confirm that Mr Barkwell's injury was classed as 'minor' and that he was not displaying symptoms which would indicate the need for further treatment.

It had not been established that Mr Barkwell was taking Warfarin.

Jane Couch, the solicitor acting for Mr Barkwell's widow, community care worker Linda Barkwell, asked if the guidelines set out by the the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) had been followed?

She put it to accident and emergency consultant Dr Katherine Robinson that Dr Forbes should have asked Mr Barkwell if, given his age and medical history, was taking Warfarin.

She asked what should have happened had best practice been followed.

Dr Robinson said: 'He [Dr Forbes] would probably have checked Warfarin levels and arranged a CT scan of the patient's head.'

Miss Couch then said: 'If the Nice guidelines had been followed he [Mr Barkwell] would probably have been kept in hospital for observation. Were they followed?'

Dr Robinson replied: 'No, they were not.'

After the inquest, the South Devon Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust issued a statement.

It said: 'The trust very much regrets the death of Mr Barkwell following his fall. The hospital has guidelines in place which conform to the Nice guidelines for head injury.  Following the Nice guidance in this case may not have altered the outcome for the patient. 

'Action was taken after the patient's death to review the care management.  In addition, there is always a further examination of the circumstances of any unexpected death through the trust's system of clinical governance in order to strengthen safeguards and improve future care for patients.'

Miss Couch told this newspaper that her client was 'considering her position'.