A MUM of two died in hospital ten days after being admitted by a doctor who found her to be in living in 'considerable squalor' at her house in Flimby, an inquest has heard.

Ann Daintith, 76, died at the West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven on January 28, 2024.

According to a statement submitted to Cockermouth Coroner's Court by Maryport Health Service, she had been admitted to hospital on January 18, after her daughter-in-law raised concerns about her safety.  

This led to Dr Dowling of Maryport Health Service visiting Ms Daintith at her home on Sea View on January 18, with her son, Andrew Wright, present, and found Ms Daintith’s house 'in disarray', with no heating, hot water, or light.

Her son reported that she had been living in this state for 18-24 months.

Ms Daintith was found in bed under a duvet shivering, and Dr Dowling considered her hypothermic and felt hospital admission was required.

She was taken by ambulance to the emergency department in Whitehaven.

Ms Daintith's daughter-in-law reported that she had offered for her to come to live in their home with them, on condition that she did not drink or smoke, but Ms Daintith refused.

GP records show that she suffered from arthritis, hypertension, depression, and allergies, but rarely attended appointments, with the last time being in September 2022 for shingles.

In hospital, Ms Daintith was found to have congestive heart failure and poor kidney function , and continued to deteriorate.

She was placed on end-of-life care on the evening of January 27 and transferred to the Loweswater Suite in the hospital.

She died around 5pm on January 28 with family present.

Assistant Coroner for Cumbria, Dr Nicholas Shaw, accepted the cause of death offered of multi-organ failure caused by sepsis, due to anaemia, chronic alcoholism and self-neglect.

Dr Shaw concluded: "There is no suggestion anywhere that she lacked mental capacity.

"Clearly her family didn’t have much contact with her, and she didn’t have much contact with the family,  and one must assume that she accepted that situation.

"She avoided the doctors, and one questions whether or not she took any of the medication they were prescribing.

"She was living on Sea View, the main road at Flimby which is exposed and directly opposite the sea.

"Without heating in January it’s going to be a difficult place to live, and no wonder she was found to be hypothermic.

"The conditions as described were those of considerable squalor, which clearly indicates neglect, but if she had capacity to understand her situation, presumably she accepted that."

Dr Shaw recorded Ms Daintith’s death as one caused by self-neglect.