Connor Sparrowhawk inquest: Nurse 'sorry' for failing family
- Published
Connor Sparrowhawk, who died at Slade House, had epilepsy and experienced seizures
A nurse has apologised for failing the family of a teenager with learning disabilities who died at an NHS unit.
Connor Sparrowhawk, 18, drowned in the bath after an epileptic seizure at Slade House, in Headington, Oxfordshire, in July 2013.
Nurse Winnie Betsva told Connor's mother at the inquest into his death: "I am so sorry that I failed Connor."
She admitted a lack of experience of doing care plans for people with epilepsy.
The nurse agreed to complete the plan five days after Connor was admitted.
Bath time observation
When asked by Paul Bowen, representing the family, "did you carry out a risk assessment in relation to Connor's epilepsy and bathing arrangements?", she replied "no".
At the inquest, she asked to address Connor's mother and said: "I am so sorry Sara that I failed Connor and on behalf of your family I failed your family.
"I take full responsibility for failing Connor with his epilepsy care plan."
Jurors also heard about an incident on 20 May, 2013, where Connor was found to have bitten his tongue.
Following this Ms Betsva was instructed to create an epilepsy management plan but said she "forgot".
The inquest previously heard Connor was to be woken early on the morning of 4 July, 2013, to be taken on a bus trip.
But he was discovered submerged and unresponsive in a bath shortly after 09:00. Staff called an ambulance but he died later in hospital.
Pathologist Dr Ben Phillips said his death was likely to have been caused by an epileptic seizure.
An independent report commissioned by Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust into the death found that the level of bath time observation failed to safeguard Connor.
The inquest continues is expected to last two weeks.