Barbara Wingate
10 Feb 2026 · Coroner Catherine Wood · Kent and Medway
This report repeats 2 earlier warnings. See the linked reports.
The coroner's concerns
1. daily occurrence of full resuscitation department
“evidence indicated that this was and is almost a daily occurrence at the Trust”
2. beds occupied by medically fit patients
“up to a third of the hospital beds can be filled with patients who are fit to leave hospital”
3. hospital acquired infection risk
“patients are kept in hospital for longer and thus are more at risk of contracting hospital acquired illness”
4. risk of death from delayed care
“Both of these options can lead to death as seen in this case and”
Linked reports
Identical hazardConfidence 0.95 · high
Earlier report
“Further at the time of the inquest there were approximately 140 beds at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital occupied by patients who were medically fit to be discharged, but beds could not be found in the community.”
This report
“On any given day the court heard that up to a third of the hospital beds can be filled with patients who are fit to leave hospital.”
Closely relatedConfidence 0.90 · high
Earlier report
“The evidence before the inquest was that delayed discharges such as Mr [name redacted] put the lives of frail elderly patients at risk as it is far more likely that they will become deconditioned and develop and infection if they spend unnecessary time in hospital.”
This report
“patients are kept in hospital for longer and thus are more at risk of contracting hospital acquired illness”