Care home 'neglect' led to death of grandmother

Anna Ptackova's daughter said her mother "did so much to keep us all happy"

A “loving and caring” mum and grandma would not have died “had it not been for the neglect of the home” she was living in, a coroner ruled.

Anna Ptackova died aged 66 after a pressure sore she developed while living at Dane View Nursing Home in Leicester turned septic.

She was taken from the home to hospital on 3 January 2023, after a visiting nurse suspected she had developed sepsis from the ulcer.

Ms Ptackova's condition deteriorated and she died on 20 January, with the home offering its “deepest apologies” to the family “for the deficiencies” in her care.

An inquest into the circumstances around Ms Ptackova’s death concluded on 7 June, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The coroner highlighted multiple failures in her care at Dane View which overall “amounted to a gross failure” by the home, according to Nelsons Solicitors, which is representing the family.

Hospital doctors told the family, including her daughter Martina Hanouskova, that Ms Ptackova was too unwell to undergo surgery.

The doctors believed the infection had likely spread to the bone. She was treated with antibiotics for the sepsis and fluids for dehydration, the firm said.

Ms Ptackova's cause of death was listed as sepsis, grade four sacral ulcer (also known as a pressure sore) and her underlying Huntington’s disease, Nelsons added.

"Smiled every day"

Speaking on behalf of her family, Ms Hanouskova remembered her mum as “fun, loving and caring”.

She said: “Even when mum got her Huntington’s disease diagnosis, she put her faith in doctors, and it did not alter her positive outlook on life – she never complained and still enjoyed her favourite things.

“She was fun, loving and caring, enjoyed travelling and music and most of all, spending time with her family.

"Life was not always easy for mum, but she smiled every day, worked hard and did so much to keep us all happy.

"She has left us with memories that we will cherish forever.”

A spokesman for Dane View said the home has “taken significant steps to ensure such an incident never happens again”.

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