A verdict of misadventure has been recorded at an inquest into the death of a retired clerk who took out his own catheter and later died from multi-organ failure caused by a septic infection.

The Bradford inquest heard yesterday how a nurse at Cooper House Nursing and Care Home in Horton Bank Top had tried to re-position the catheter for 79-year-old Ray Haigh without success.

He developed a fever and went in and out of consciousness so worried staff called an ambulance and while waiting for paramedics asked a GP visiting other residents to see him.

One hour later, staff were still waiting for an ambulance and had to call the emergency service again, the inquest heard.

Once at hospital sepsis was diagnosed affecting Mr Haigh’s urinary tract and despite being given anti-biotics to fight it, he deteriorated and died at Bradford Royal Infirmary two days later on July 26.

Assistant deputy coroner Mary Burke said: “If Mr Haigh had not removed his catheter then the sequence of this event that caused his death would not have occurred. There’s no evidence to suggest he did this intentionally with a view to cause himself harm but sadly that was the outcome. My conclusion is that his death was misadventure.”

  • Cooper House Nursing and Care Home in Horton Bank Top has asked the Telegraph & Argus to make it clear it was a district nurse and not one of its own nursing staff who tried but could not re-position a catheter for 79-year-old Ray Haigh, who was later admitted to Bradford Royal Infirmary, dying two days later on July 26 this year from multi-organ failure caused by a septic infection.