Thomas Rawnsley: Family unhappy at care home death inquest process

Paula Rawnsley described Thomas as a "very much loved son, brother and uncle"

The mother of a man with Down's Syndrome who died in a care home says an inquest has failed to examine wider failings in his care.

Thomas Rawnsley, 20, had a heart attack at Kingdom House, Sheffield, after a chest infection on 2 February 2015.

On Wednesday, a jury concluded he died of natural causes on the direction of Sheffield's assistant coroner.

But Paula Rawnsley, from Bradford, said the month-long inquest only looked at "the last five days of his life".

Lifeways, which runs Kingdom House, said Mr Rawnsley was supported with "care, professionalism and respect".

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Mrs Rawnsley had hoped the inquest would examine the background to the death of her son, who had been transferred to Sheffield against his family's wishes.

During spells in a home in West Yorkshire in 2012 and 2013 he was abused by a care worker, who bent back his fingers and threatened to break them. The worker was later given a suspended jail term.

Mrs Rawnsley told the inquest her son was placed at Kingdom House in 2014 by order of the Court of Protection from an assessment and treatment unit in Bradford.

She told the jury her son, who also had autism, deteriorated during his time in Sheffield, adding: "I felt I was banging my head against a brick wall and things were getting more and more desperate."

Thomas Rawnsley's family said they have fought for more than five years for a full investigation into his death

At Sheffield City Hall, a legal ruling was made on Tuesday barring the jury from considering the wider circumstances of Mr Rawnsley's care.

Abigail Combes, Sheffield assistant coroner, told the jury that natural causes was the only conclusion available.

Mrs Rawnsley said: "We trusted in the coronial process, however the inquest wasn't able to examine any of the wider failings in care, the abuse he suffered, the lack of trauma support or why Thomas couldn't live in his local community.

"We are left wondering how it can be natural for a fit and healthy 20-year-old to die from a chest infection."

An independent report into Mr Rawnsley's case, commissioned by NHS England and published in 2018, found all agencies were "committed to facilitating [his] return to his home town" but there was a lack of clarity about the timescale.

It made a series of recommendations to several agencies, including nursing teams, the ambulance service, adult safeguarding boards and Bradford Council.

A Lifeways spokesperson said: "We supported this review, contributed evidence openly, and we fully agree with and endorse all the recommendations made in the report."