Family pay tribute to Royal Bolton Hospital worker

Ian McDermott of Windermere Road, Farnworth was just 49-years-old when he died on December 9.

An inquest found that Mr Dermott suffered from a number of medical conditions including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and chronic pancreatitis.

Speaking after the inquest, his family told The Bolton News: “His funeral was exceptional, he went through Bolton hospital and all his colleagues stood on the sidewalks.

“There were about 50 of them stood on the sidewalks.

“We miss him lots.”

In a statement to the inquest, his sister, Lisa Goodram, said how he started his working career as a mechanic, ‘knowing a lot about cars’ despite having had no formal training.

He then worked at a factory, as a delivery driver and as a sales assistant, followed by a job at Royal Bolton Hospital as a storekeeper.

Mr McDermott died aged 49 due to natural causes (Image: Family)

Ms Goodram said: “He loved working at the hospital.”

She also told the inquest how he "made friends and was well respected" there.

Mr McDermott, a father-of-two, worked there for around a decade, until being furloughed at the beginning of Covid-19 lockdown due to ‘health concerns’.

Dr Richard Law, a consultant at Royal Bolton Hospital at the time of Mr McDermott’s death, gave his medical cause of death as multi organ failure, caused by sepsis with hypovolaemic shock, caused by bronchopneumonia, while suffering with underlying COPD and chronic pancreatitis.

A statement by Dr Tseng of Stonehill Medical Centre, which was read out said: "Mr McDermott had a diagnosis of alcoholic liver disease."

The statement added: "Having been a smoker, he also had very severe COPD."

Concluding, Coroner Peter Sigee said: “Mr McDermott was a frail man with various significant medical conditions including severe COPD and chronic pancreatitis. Given his physical needs, Mr McDermott received social care with three scheduled visits by carers each day.

“On December 7 last year, carers called at Mr McDermott’s home to provide social care to him but they were unable to contact Mr McDermott or access his flat at the planned morning, lunchtime or tea visits.”

Both carers messaged their senior after each visit saying that they had been unable to see or contact him, but they did not make any efforts to raise concern for his welfare with any other person or organisation.

Coroner Sigee continued: “On the same day, Mr McDermott was found by his family lying on his bed at home, in a very weak, agitated and confused state. Whilst they were with Mr McDermott, his condition deteriorated and they called an ambulance for him at about 6.30pm.

“Paramedics attended and decided to transport Mr McDermott to hospital on an urgent basis.”

He was then taken to Royal Bolton Hospital, where he was assessed as having an infection which had caused him to develop sepsis with hypovolaemic shock and organ failure.

It caused him to fall over and be unable to get himself up for a number of hours.

The coroner added: “The infection had been present and Mr McDermott had been significantly unwell for 48 to 72 hours before his admission to hospital.

“Mr McDermott’s pre-existing medical conditions compromised his ability to respond to the treatment that was given to him and to overcome this infection, his condition deteriorated further and he died on December 9, 2022.”

He added: “There was a missed opportunity to provide additional support to Mr McDermott but it cannot be determined that earlier of additional medical care would have enabled a different outcome to be achieved.”

Coroner Sigee gave Mr McDermott’s cause of death as natural causes.

He adjourned the inquest to hear further evidence from Optimo Care Group Ltd regarding changes in their emergency procedures.