Elderly woman died of 'neglect' at Cumbria hospital where doctors treating her were on strike, inquest hears READ MORE: Junior doctors plan to strike AGAIN despite pay hike from Labour By Rebecca Whittaker For Mailonline Published: 11:01 EDT, 15 August 2024 | Updated: 11:05 EDT, 15 August 2024 e-mail View comments A coroner has issued a warning on a hospital’s ‘insufficient’ preparations for junior doctor strikes after a 71-year-old died during industrial action. Coroner Robert Cohen said ‘neglect’ contributed to pensioner Daphne Austin’s death after learning she was one of 25 patients being looked after by just one consultant at an NHS hospital, because colleagues were striking. Mrs Austin was first admitted to Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle, in May last year having suffered a stroke and it later became apparent she had sustained a kidney injury.
During her stay the pensioner became ‘dehydrated’, her glucose levels were poorly controlled, and there was a delay in carrying out blood testing due to strikes, an inquest heard. On one particular day, Mrs Austin received no ‘medical input’ as hundreds of junior doctors had walked out in a dispute over pay, Mr Cohen said. Daphne Austin, 71, was first admitted to Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle, in May last year having suffered a stroke and it later became apparent she had sustained a kidney injury Eventually, Mrs Austin’s condition ‘deteriorated’ and she developed life-threatening sepsis.
Despite treatment,.