Inquiry into starved woman's care

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A review is under way into the care of vulnerable people after a 79-year-old grandmother starved to death.

Mother-of-ten Ivy Allen was found emaciated on her sofa, with no food in her Warrington home, an inquest heard.

Ms Allen's pension had been returned because her front door did not have a letterbox, the coroner was told.

He criticised the "lack of mindfulness" by the authorities. Warrington Council said lessons could be learned by the "sad, tragic and complicated case".

Ms Allen died from gross malnutrition as result of natural causes, including self-neglect, the coroner ruled.

Recording his verdict, coroner Nicholas Rheinberg said: "It is a summation of a lack of mindfulness of those undertaking their duties as they saw fit."

He added: "The biggest single failing was one of communication."

It was a combination of lapses and no intervention that led to this tragedy Nicholas Rheinbergcoroner

Ms Allen, who has 30 grandchildren, had told hospital doctors she could not afford to feed herself, but social services were not told this when she was discharged.

Pension cheques had been returned because the council had replaced Ms Allen's broken front door with a back door, which did not have a post box.

But no-one was sent round to check on her, the coroner heard, and her pension was eventually suspended.

The court heard Ms Allen had a history of psychiatric problems and was often confused and resentful of offers of help.

But no community psychiatric nurse had checked on her health.

'Working together'

The coroner concluded: "It was a combination of lapses and no intervention that led to this tragedy."

Ms Allen rarely cooked for herself, leaving her bungalow each morning for the cafes and pubs of Warrington town centre, and not returning until night.

The council had tried to install a post-box at her home, but gave up because she was never in.

Coroner Rheinberg said the agencies had "perhaps not gone as far as they could have done or should have done in discharging their duties".

Warrington Council spokesman Bob Williams said: "This has been a very sad, tragic and complicated case, one from which all those involved can learn.

"In the light of the coroner's comments, the council, the primary care trust, the Five Boroughs Partnership, Warrington Hospital, Golden Gates Housing and the Department for Work and Pensions will be working together to review the procedures currently in place to address the needs of vulnerable people in our community."