Jury considering verdict after Spalding man suffers catastrophic injuries in hospital accident

The jury retired this afternoon in the trial of the Lincolnshire hospitals trust which is accused of breach of health and safety legislation following the death of a Spalding man.
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United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust was prosecuted following an incident in July 2012 when patient John Biggadike died at Boston Pilgrim Hospital after suffering “catastrophic” internal injuries when he was impaled on a lifting hoist.

Mr Biggadike, 53, from Spalding, fell onto a protruding metal post while the hoist was being used to assist him.

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The prosecution allege that hospital staff were not adequately trained or supervised in the use of the hoist and had removed a knee support pad which should have remained in place.

But the defence suggest Mr Biggadike’s death was not caused by failings in training. They argued that the manufacturer failed to act after a “serious incident” involving a hoist at a hospital in Leicester in 2007.

During the two week trial at Lincoln Crown Court the Trust’s senior health and safety manager Philippa Fitzmaurice told the jury that the fatal incident involving Mr Biggadike would have been less likely to have happened if the manufacturer had sent out a safety notice following the Leicester incident.

United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust denies breach of health and safety regulations by exposing non-employees to risk by failing to train, supervise and monitor its employees in relation to the safe use of the lifting hoist on dates between July 2001 and April 2012.

More to follow...