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Lorna Loxton, a mum-of-two from Wells, who died following a fall outside the Bristol Royal Infirmary in January 2025(Image: The Loxton family)<\/p>\nThe family are demanding answers from hospital bossesLorna Loxton, a mum-of-two from Wells, who died following a fall outside the Bristol Royal Infirmary in January 2025(Image: The Loxton family)<\/p>\n
The family of a woman who died after hitting her head in a fall over a \u2018trip hazard\u2019 as she walked out of the Bristol Royal Infirmary is preparing to take legal action against hospital chiefs, as a coroner investigates her death. An incident investigation report found mum-of-two Lorna Loxton fell on the way out of the BRI when her three-wheeled walking frame became lodged in a protruding metal flap.<\/p>\n
The 55-year-old had gone to the BRI from her home in Wells, Somerset, to attend a cardiology appointment, but tripped and fell on the way out, broke her hip and hit her head on the floor. She was rushed back in, underwent surgery on her hip, but her health deteriorated and she never left the hospital again.<\/p>\n
Her family said they are \u2018devastated\u2019 over her death, which happened at the end of January this year, and are now being supported by a law firm, as the inquest into her death approaches. Lorna spent much of her life in Bristol, and more recently lived in Wells, Somerset. She had suffered genetic disorder in her later life, called myotonic dystrophy, a debilitating illness that causes muscle wastage and weakness.<\/p>\n
Her son Mark, 35, also lives with the condition, and both he and Lorna\u2019s daughter Danni, 30, spoke of their pride in their mother living her life with the condition. She had previously loved riding and caring for horses, and had three dogs – Jodie, Ria, and Mia.<\/p>\n
\u201cMum was such a lovely person, she loved animals so much,\u201d said Danni, an entertainment manager who lives near Bournemouth. \u201cShe would donate to animal charities regularly, and the money collected at her funeral went to the WWF, she would have loved that.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe couldn\u2019t work for a lot of years because of her illness, some days she couldn\u2019t even get out of bed, but she did the very best she could. When she would come and see my shows, she was so proud of me. I will always remember how much she loved me and Mark, and how proud she was of him too for being so independent even though he has the same condition she did,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
\u201cMum loved her music \u2013 JLS, for some reason, and 80s music \u2013 and she watched all the soaps, particularly the Australian ones, and Western films. I would speak to her all the time and she lived her life as best she could. The way we lost her has been absolutely traumatic,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
Lorna was walking out of the BRI\u2019s Level 5 entrance to wait for her taxi, but her walker got stuck on a metal flap which covered a bollard. The family say the UHBW Trust, which runs the Bristol Royal Infirmary, commissioned a Health and Safety Incident Investigation Report into what happened, and it found that bollard posts were \u2018not being monitored by the estates and facilities team at the time, and no health and safety risk assessment had been carried out. \u201cThe report also conceded the angle of the protruding metal presented a \u2018trip hazard\u2019,\u201d a spokesperson for law firm Slater and Gordon, which is representing the family, said.<\/p>\n
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Bristol Royal Infirmary<\/p>\n
The family also have concerns over what happened between the fall – which happened on January 7 – and Lorna\u2019s death on January 28 this year. \u201cAfter Lorna\u2019s fall on January 7, she was able to call Danni herself and tell her what had happened,\u201d said a spokesperson for Slater and Gordon.<\/p>\n
\u201cHer daughter drove the near five-hour round trip regularly over the days ahead, returning in between for work, but said she didn\u2019t feel she was updated properly by medics at Bristol Royal Infirmary,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
Danni said her deterioration was unexpected. \u201cAs I was so far away, I really relied on the doctors and nurses for updates, but when I would get to the hospital, she was always much worse than I expected,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was told on the phone she was \u2018fine\u2019, but I arrived after my initial visit to see her with tubes and attached to machines. During one visit, they referred to her being on life support, but I had no idea things had become so bad,\u201d Danni added.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen the end came, I was told I could say goodbye \u2013 but then I was told they hadn\u2019t checked her medical notes to see she was an organ donor, so they wouldn\u2019t be switching her life support off yet. That was devastating, to add to the fact I already had to come to terms with losing my mum.<\/p>\n
READ MORE: Billions have been put into NHS with no improvement says Bristol health minister<\/a>READ MORE: Bristol hospital staff ‘already stretched to the limit’ ahead of job cuts<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI would have loved to be better supported during this period. It was such a shock to learn what had happened, and then to find she was deteriorating so quickly was just horrendous. I was so far away, I wish so much I could have been closer,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n